as in standards
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared
his book has long been a touchstone for travel writing that aspires to be literature
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Recent Examples of touchstones
These shows launched music careers, product lines, and global fan bases, becoming cultural touchstones for a generation.
—
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
But as a gay man growing up in Ireland in the ’70s and ’80s, there were certain pop culture touchstones that helped him through his tough youth.
—William Earl, Variety, 21 Sep. 2025
The Bowers Museum is truly one of the cultural touchstones for those of us lucky enough to live 20 minutes away.
—Penny E Schwartz, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
Those touchstones of the past are almost longing for a more analog time.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
Each photograph, available for purchase, will tie the brand's rock-and-roll spirit directly into the fabric of the store, creating a living gallery of cultural touchstones.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The film’s creators embodied these thematic touchstones throughout its inception and development.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
In the context of Ocean’s Godori’s futuristic Korean milieu, there are plenty of Korean cultural touchstones.
—Elaine U. Cho
august 5, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
But as a gay man growing up in Ireland in the ’70s and ’80s, there were certain pop culture touchstones that helped him through his tough youth.
—William Earl, Variety, 21 Sep. 2025
The Bowers Museum is truly one of the cultural touchstones for those of us lucky enough to live 20 minutes away.
—Penny E Schwartz, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
Those touchstones of the past are almost longing for a more analog time.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
Each photograph, available for purchase, will tie the brand's rock-and-roll spirit directly into the fabric of the store, creating a living gallery of cultural touchstones.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The film’s creators embodied these thematic touchstones throughout its inception and development.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
In the context of Ocean’s Godori’s futuristic Korean milieu, there are plenty of Korean cultural touchstones.
—Elaine U. Cho
august 5, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touchstones
Noun
-
Since you’re still considered a federal employee on furlough, any job must fall within the federal government’s standards of ethical conduct and rules.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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And the typical rules of decorum are loosened as a result — at least by golf standards.—
Bob Harkins,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The dietary recommendations were based on data about risks of preventable diseases like Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, not environmental criteria.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
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Each student gets a score, according to MPS admission criteria.—
Rory Linnane,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Advertisement Developing benchmarks isn’t just about knowing how good models are.—
Nikita Ostrovsky,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
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Nearly 24% of third- through eighth-graders attending MPS met or exceeded grade-level benchmarks in English language arts, about 6 percentage points lower than Milwaukee choice students who took the exam.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touchstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touchstones. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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