as in standards
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared
his book has long been a touchstone for travel writing that aspires to be literature
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 touchstones
Each photograph, available for purchase, will tie the brand's rock-and-roll spirit directly into the fabric of the store, creating a living gallery of cultural touchstones.
—
Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The film’s creators embodied these thematic touchstones throughout its inception and development.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
Bush's comments became cultural touchstones for government failure, widely mocked and criticized.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
The timeline is assembled in such a way that emotional touchstones can sometimes feel manipulative, considering how ruthlessly unsentimental Bobo’s narration sounds.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Aug. 2025
In the context of Ocean’s Godori’s futuristic Korean milieu, there are plenty of Korean cultural touchstones.
—Elaine U. Cho
august 5, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The film’s creators embodied these thematic touchstones throughout its inception and development.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
Bush's comments became cultural touchstones for government failure, widely mocked and criticized.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
The timeline is assembled in such a way that emotional touchstones can sometimes feel manipulative, considering how ruthlessly unsentimental Bobo’s narration sounds.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Aug. 2025
In the context of Ocean’s Godori’s futuristic Korean milieu, there are plenty of Korean cultural touchstones.
—Elaine U. Cho
august 5, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touchstones
Noun
-
When the pace of innovation slows, standards emerge.—
Jim McGregor,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
But Republicans should question their own members who fail in other areas that require adherence to basic standards of conscience and competence.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The amendment should define specific criteria for incapacity, including mental illness, cognitive decline, substance abuse, or any condition that substantially impairs judgment or decision-making capacity.—
Lynn Schmidt,
Twin Cities,
19 Sep. 2025
-
An expansion of the Milwaukee Police Department's criteria to issue a missing persons alert would not include the three homeless men who are still believed missing since historic floods swept through Milwaukee in August.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
For now, Verdagy’s benchmarks matter.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Sep. 2025
-
This is why computer scientists should not be left to create benchmarks for real world professional tasks without deferring to expert advice from people working in those professions.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touchstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touchstones. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share