as in criterion
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared
a legendary Broadway flop that has subsequently become the barometer by which failure in the theater is judged
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Recent Examples of barometer
The pressure on Mamdani will be intense, as his administration will be seen nationwide as a barometer of the insurgent socialist movement's ability to govern.
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Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
That was the barometer with me and Jen—timeless, timeless, timeless; no anachronistic faces.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair, 25 Dec. 2025
Does this amount to a loss of bitcoin’s status as a risk barometer at the far edge of technological enthusiasm?
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2025
The next meeting at the end of January is unlikely to yield a further reduction to the base rate, according to CME’s FedWatch barometer.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barometer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barometer
Noun
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However, it was later determined that the case did not meet authorities' acceptance criteria at the time.—
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Prosecutors said last weekend that the legal criteria to detain the bar's owners had so far not been met.—
Noun
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An example of a standard in summer is a sherbert series featuring lactose and vanilla.—
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Recent data showed that police response is becoming faster, but still lags behind California standards.—
Noun
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Flexibility matters more than any single model’s benchmark score.—
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Even as the Federal Reserve has lowered its benchmark rate, the average credit card APR has barely budged, in part because credit card issuers are mitigating their exposure against borrowers who may fall behind on payments or default.—
Noun
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In 2020, Idaho was the first state in the country to approve the measure categorically barring transgender women and girls from women’s and girls sports.—
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As an example, the new effective date for the measure is now May 1, 2025.—
Cite this Entry
“Barometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barometer. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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