Synonym Chooser

How does the noun criterion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of criterion are gauge, standard, touchstone, and yardstick. While all these words mean "a means of determining what a thing should be," 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 is gauge a more appropriate choice than criterion?

While in some cases nearly identical to criterion, 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 could standard be used to replace criterion?

Although the words standard and criterion have much in common, standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority.

standards of behavior

When is it sensible to use touchstone instead of criterion?

The meanings of touchstone and criterion largely overlap; however, touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticity or value of something intangible.

fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant

How do yardstick and criterion relate to one another?

Yardstick is an informal substitute for criterion that suggests quantity more often than quality.

housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth

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 criterion Content demonstrating clear expertise and authority • Fast-loading pages without intrusive pop-ups or restricted access Websites meeting these criteria are far more likely to capture AI's attention, while those that don't risk fading into obscurity. Guy Leon Sheetrit, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025 Counselors recommend focusing on personal criteria for success rather than external validation. Sarah Hernholm, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025 The storm is anticipated to produce winds exceeding 35 mph, reducing visibility to less than a quarter-mile for at least three hours in some regions, meeting the National Weather Service's criteria for a blizzard. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025 Their work has made a profound impact, showcasing resourcefulness, creativity, and enterprise under extreme conditions, which the RTS itself values in its awards criteria. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for criterion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criterion
Noun
  • As the Trump administration continues to roll out policies targeting immigrants, experts and immigration attorneys caution the likelihood of more officers following suit and creating a new standard.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Venus and Uranus connect today, inspiring you to upgrade your standards.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This is highly specific work that depends on each plantation's unique characteristics, including location, soil type, and coffee variety.
    Christopher Marquis, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Both dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide, which are part of the same chemical group, have overlapping characteristics, which is why the results can’t definitively differentiate between the two molecules, but future observations might, the study authors said.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • But whichever way things work, Arsenal have set themselves a new benchmark for what is possible — 3-0 against the most decorated of European champions is not the kind of result that comes along all that often.
    Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Global benchmark Brent crude was trading at $61.44 per barrel on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. in London, down nearly 17% year-to-date.
    Natasha Turak, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Going for a cut that accentuates your best facial features and hair texture can be a foolproof way to walk out of the hair salon feeling happy.
    Julie Ricevuto, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025
  • This is a sprawling document of balance changes, quality-of-life tweaks, and major new features.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The House voted Tuesday to effectively kill a discharge petition championed by Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida that forced a vote on a measure that would have permitted remote voting for new parents.
    Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The survey also took the measure of another key Trump foreign policy: tariffs on U.S. trading partners.
    Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The scientists edited mouse genes related to their hair and fat metabolism — two qualities woolly mammoths needed to survive in their Arctic habitat.
    Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Erick Fedde hasn't been much of a quality option either.
    Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Experts debated the connection, but by 2001 paleontologists uncovered early whale ankle bones that possessed traits only seen among artiodactyls.
    Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025
  • In an era of constant change, global complexity and ever-rising expectations, trust has become the defining trait of exceptional leadership.
    Alejandro Bravo, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Counsell’s decision to hire Quintin Berry away from the Milwaukee Brewers may have taken those attributes to another level.
    Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • An attribute that Buffett considers to be the hallmark of the highest achievers.
    Steve Taplin, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Criterion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criterion. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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