as in criterion
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared this essay will be the yardstick by which I grade the others

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun yardstick contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of yardstick are criterion, gauge, standard, and touchstone. While all these words mean "a means of determining what a thing should be," yardstick is an informal substitute for criterion that suggests quantity more often than quality.

housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth

When is criterion a more appropriate choice than yardstick?

The meanings of criterion and yardstick largely overlap; however, criterion may apply to anything used as a test of quality whether formulated as a rule or principle or not.

questioned the critic's criteria for excellence

When might gauge be a better fit than yardstick?

The words gauge and yardstick are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gauge applies to a means of testing a particular dimension (such as thickness, depth, diameter) or figuratively a particular quality or aspect.

polls as a gauge of voter dissatisfaction

When would standard be a good substitute for yardstick?

While the synonyms standard and yardstick are close in meaning, standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority.

standards of behavior

When could touchstone be used to replace yardstick?

While in some cases nearly identical to yardstick, touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticity or value of something intangible.

fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of yardstick The cost per gig really is an excellent yardstick to use, assuming most else is equal. PC Magazine, 10 July 2025 The easiest signs to see from running the course are large and high in the air – tape it to a broomstick handle or yardstick. Jackie Borchardt, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 That is enough, if enriched further, for nine nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick. Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 13 June 2025 In media coverage, a common yardstick for determining whether a recession is underway is two consecutive quarters of declining gross domestic product, which refers to the total of all economic activity. Louis Jacobson, Austin American Statesman, 6 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for yardstick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yardstick
Noun
  • To maintain comparability, the weights assigned to these criteria have been held constant.
    Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • In ants, hair is one of the criteria that helps differentiate species.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Since many of Yiwu's products don't meet EU compliance standards, that limits how much businesses can sell to Europe, Monga said.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Roads, bridges, power grids, and water systems fueled industrialization and lifted living standards.
    Maurice Obeid, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The fund’s performance in the first seven months of the year — the most recent Boston Partners has made available on its performance — has comfortably outperformed that of the MSCI World Index, which its management team uses as a comparative benchmark index.
    Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
  • For Unitree, the G1 represents an attempt to rival the achievements of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, long considered the benchmark for agile, dynamic humanoid robots.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Demand-side measures are the right approach.
    Joel Thayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
  • In a 2013 survey of criminologists, public health scholars, and legal academics, an assault weapons ban was ranked the single most effective measure among 20 policy options for reducing mass shootings.
    John J. Donohue, Time, 15 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Yardstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yardstick. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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