as in standards
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 barometers
Investors and borrowers will instead focus on Wednesday's release of the Fed's Summary of Economic Projections, a report that distills the FOMC's forecasts for unemployment, GDP growth and other barometers.
—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
That’s what makes pilots the best barometers for how well a piece of luggage works.
—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2026
The mercury barometers in the observers’ office — one of which the observatory believes to be the oldest such instrument in active daily use in the United States — are a case in point.
—
Laura Martin Agudelo,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
And assets under management are poor barometers of a venture fund’s success, generally.
—
Ben Weiss,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
And besides that, with their hard-fought Final Four victories Friday over Texas and Connecticut, respectively, barometers for other programs that dream of ascending to such elite heights.
—
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
The barometers for our rankings include Opta’s projections for the remainder of their campaign, the teams’ performances in 2025-26, relative squad strength and their history in the competition.
—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Besides, the issue is further complicated by the fact that there are so many barometers of greatness.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Look at all economic barometers, social gains, and life span increases.
—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2026
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
That’s what makes pilots the best barometers for how well a piece of luggage works.
—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2026
The mercury barometers in the observers’ office — one of which the observatory believes to be the oldest such instrument in active daily use in the United States — are a case in point.
—
Laura Martin Agudelo,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
And assets under management are poor barometers of a venture fund’s success, generally.
—
Ben Weiss,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
And besides that, with their hard-fought Final Four victories Friday over Texas and Connecticut, respectively, barometers for other programs that dream of ascending to such elite heights.
—
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
The barometers for our rankings include Opta’s projections for the remainder of their campaign, the teams’ performances in 2025-26, relative squad strength and their history in the competition.
—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Besides, the issue is further complicated by the fact that there are so many barometers of greatness.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Look at all economic barometers, social gains, and life span increases.
—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barometers
Noun
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The next step in the process involves the city drafting a redevelopment plan outlining development standards before holding public hearings and seeking additional approvals.
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If an employer chooses to grant recognition, no election takes place, and the parties begin bargaining a contract that sets standards for wages, working conditions and benefits.
Noun
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Critics say the test rewards the smallest slice of the problem while ignoring Scope 3, the 80% to 95% of a producer's emissions that come from burning its fuel, and note the criteria echo the oil industry's own lobbying.
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There are no particular criteria and it’s essentially all decided by whoever is chair of the AELTC at the time, which has been Debbie Jevans since 2023.
Noun
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The current approach to AI mirrors the haphazard medical standards of the early 20th century, Bressman says, before medical schools, medical boards and other authorities agreed on national benchmarks for training and licensing.
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Over time, colleges have steadily reduced the number of objective benchmarks available for comparing applicants while increasing the role of institutional judgment.
Noun
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School climate information may reveal challenges that traditional performance metrics overlook.
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The wellness science company Vibe Science is testing its Domayn Mask in a beta program, aiming to shift users toward calmer or more focused states rather than only reporting metrics.
Cite this Entry
“Barometers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barometers. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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