1
as in titles
a word or series of words often in larger letters placed at the beginning of a passage or at the top of a page in order to introduce or categorize
the rubrics at the beginning of the chapters are intended to be humorous
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in rules
an inherited or established way of thinking, feeling, or doing
the rubric, popular among jewelers anyway, that a man should spend a month's salary on his fiancée's engagement ring
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in categories
one of the units into which a whole is divided on the basis of a common characteristic
all of these books with their conspiracy theories fall under the rubric of speculative fiction
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 rubrics
Across the hall, the experts at PCLabs are painstakingly testing them, using clear and transparent rubrics to rate them on a five-point scale.
—
K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
University officials said students in classes taught by striking professors should adhere to their class rubrics and check their emails for updates.
—Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Once hired, contractors evaluate how well their AI system completes micro-tasks — such as writing a financial memo or drafting a legal brief — using detailed rubrics to grade the AI’s performance.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
But the other rubrics aren’t kind to Jones, either.
—Kansas City Star, 10 Oct. 2025
These are essentially risk assessment rubrics that aim to measure an AI model's capabilities and define the point at which its behavior becomes dangerous in areas like cybersecurity or biosciences.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Create two to three behavioral questions for all candidates and grade them with consistent rubrics.
—Sharon Wu, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
Erin McGlothlin, the vice dean of undergraduate affairs in WashU’s College of Arts & Sciences, told me this stems from the belief that grading rubrics should be crystal clear in spelling out how class discussion is evaluated.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 17 Aug. 2025
During the hiring process, candidates should be evaluated based on objective criteria, rubrics and scorecards should be integrated into the hiring process, and if culture fit is included as a hiring metric, it should be clearly outlined and defined.
—Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
University officials said students in classes taught by striking professors should adhere to their class rubrics and check their emails for updates.
—Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Once hired, contractors evaluate how well their AI system completes micro-tasks — such as writing a financial memo or drafting a legal brief — using detailed rubrics to grade the AI’s performance.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
But the other rubrics aren’t kind to Jones, either.
—Kansas City Star, 10 Oct. 2025
These are essentially risk assessment rubrics that aim to measure an AI model's capabilities and define the point at which its behavior becomes dangerous in areas like cybersecurity or biosciences.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Create two to three behavioral questions for all candidates and grade them with consistent rubrics.
—Sharon Wu, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
Erin McGlothlin, the vice dean of undergraduate affairs in WashU’s College of Arts & Sciences, told me this stems from the belief that grading rubrics should be crystal clear in spelling out how class discussion is evaluated.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 17 Aug. 2025
During the hiring process, candidates should be evaluated based on objective criteria, rubrics and scorecards should be integrated into the hiring process, and if culture fit is included as a hiring metric, it should be clearly outlined and defined.
—Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubrics
Noun
-
The movie, which opened Critics’ Week to rave reviews, has quickly emerged as one of the breakout titles of Cannes’ parallel sections.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
19 May 2026
-
Marnef’s lyrics, like the song titles, are syntactically psychedelic but evoke clear meaning.—
Shaad D’Souza,
Pitchfork,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Golf’s elite spaces and long-standing rules don’t always make room for those who don’t abide by norms.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
The piece suggests that for many voters, especially Democrats and left-leaning independents, candidate choice is being driven less by enthusiasm than by anxiety over the rules of the state’s top-two primary.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Even the most basic categories include a proper work setup, seating area, and oversized marble bathrooms.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 May 2026
-
The categories are subdivided into smaller, more specific portfolios, and the effect is a kind of social levelling, a carnival through classification.—
Max Norman,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
Noun
-
Will my boss prefer serif or sans serif headings in this pitch deck?—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
-
On a radio channel typically reserved for crisp, professional callouts about altitude, headings and runway assignments, the animal impressions stood out — to put it mildly.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The spa program ranges from aromatherapy treatments to comprehensive wellness experiences, including an indulgent chocolate body wrap and the signature psammotherapy quartz sand therapy, inspired by ancient healing traditions.—
Taryn White,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
These requirements also create problems for cultures and traditions that don’t practice traditional Western burials, instead getting families and friends directly involved in preparation of the body and burial.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
That is partially a product of the heaps of experience this group has together in these types of moments.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
All types of alcohol contribute to cancer by damaging DNA and increasing chronic inflammation, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Mercury moving through your sign puts you back in the spotlight, and people are paying attention to everything from your opinions to your Instagram captions.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
-
The inside of Perfect Scents, a South Plaza greeting card shop, contains dozens of photographs (both framed and unframed) with captions of owner Nancy Pell’s family.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee
May 12,
Kansas City Star,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
As the play reminds us, finding sanctuaries of many kinds in these times can be very difficult to achieve.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
-
The stand-up and movie star was inundated with jokes of all kinds — though mostly about his stature — at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Sunday, with the special now available on Netflix.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rubrics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubrics. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
