as in standards
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
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Recent Examples of yardsticks
In the matter of handmade placards—Magic Marker on cardboard, duct-taped to wooden yardsticks—there was a certain amount of politico-literary one-upmanship.
—
Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
While Palantir is head-and-shoulders above the other stocks on the list, AppLovin and CrowdStrike also trade at lofty levels by each of these yardsticks.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
These are demographic, livability and financial yardsticks in which California sits amongst the top 10 states.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
The machine learning field is moving fast, and the yardsticks used measure progress in it are having to race to keep up.
—Dina Genkina, IEEE Spectrum, 10 Sep. 2025
Traditional yardsticks like revenue and profit matter less than the company’s ETH stash.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
While Palantir is head-and-shoulders above the other stocks on the list, AppLovin and CrowdStrike also trade at lofty levels by each of these yardsticks.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
These are demographic, livability and financial yardsticks in which California sits amongst the top 10 states.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
The machine learning field is moving fast, and the yardsticks used measure progress in it are having to race to keep up.
—Dina Genkina, IEEE Spectrum, 10 Sep. 2025
Traditional yardsticks like revenue and profit matter less than the company’s ETH stash.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yardsticks
Noun
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Rather, the slow start (by Ovechkin’s standards) to this season seemed due more to poor puck luck.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
6 Nov. 2025
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For starters, he or she will be armed with some of the top TV and film incentives in the nation, crediting up to 40 percent of qualified expenses against taxes for productions that meet a series of minimum standards.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Interest in marching in the parade was so intense that organizers implemented rigorous selection criteria like the quality of the horses’ grooming, saddles, tack, and the riders’ appearance.—
Patrick Salland,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
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Tesla shareholders have approved a conditional pay package for CEO Elon Musk that could unlock up to a trillion dollars in stock if the company meets specific criteria, according to preliminary results from the annual shareholder meeting.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But last spring, the Kansas State Board of Education restored the district to full accreditation based on school officials’ plan for meeting state academic benchmarks.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
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New Mexico typically ranks either last or close to it among states in other benchmarks for child well-being—like education.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Other metrics indicate more optimism under Sudani's administration.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
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And teams utilize tracking systems, such as Trackman and Rapsodo, that measure pitch speed, spin rate, and other key metrics.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Yardsticks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yardsticks. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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