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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 yardsticks
Other yardsticks show a similar trend, such as a March 18 survey commissioned by the California Democratic Party showing the two GOP candidates on top with Swalwell, Porter and Steyer in a three-way tie for third.
—
Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
The Red Scare period of blacklisting is a case study of the dangers of using political yardsticks to measure journalists.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
It is flanked on all sides by footlong rulers (emblazoned, like the yardsticks, with an assortment of penitent phrases including YES, SISTER and NO, SISTER) marking the hours.
—Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
The gauge is based on short interest, margin debt, sentiment surveys and several other yardsticks used to gauge what investors are thinking and doing.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 17 Nov. 2025
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
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
Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
The Red Scare period of blacklisting is a case study of the dangers of using political yardsticks to measure journalists.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
It is flanked on all sides by footlong rulers (emblazoned, like the yardsticks, with an assortment of penitent phrases including YES, SISTER and NO, SISTER) marking the hours.
—Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
The gauge is based on short interest, margin debt, sentiment surveys and several other yardsticks used to gauge what investors are thinking and doing.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 17 Nov. 2025
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
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
-
The two-lane bridge is too narrow by modern standards, with just 1 foot of shoulder on each side.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
-
But they are certified by California’s law enforcement standards agency.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The study is examining whether portions of the coastline meet criteria for national park designation, including significance, suitability and feasibility, along with the need for National Park Service management.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
On a recent boat tour of the harbor, a seal poked its head from the glassy water as the district’s executive director Chris Mikkelsen and development director Rob Holmlund explained that very few places meet the criteria for assembling floating turbines.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Continue reading … AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ — Test yourself on Tidal Basin traditions and baseball benchmarks.—
,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The sixth annual national survey, a collaboration between Energage and USA TODAY, recognizes midsize and large organizations with at least 150 employees that are exceeding national benchmarks for employee satisfaction.—
Jessica Bryant,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Interestingly, though, Tigers hitters are performing pretty well in a lot of underlying metrics.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The Royals valued his metrics, alongside his ability to pitch in high-leverage situations, to make the deal.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Yardsticks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yardsticks. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
