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
Critics and fanboy media thrashed Supergirl not just for its Guardians of the Galaxy touchstones, but also for aping Mad Max.
—
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
29 June 2026
The work interweaves South and Southeast Asian mythologies and histories with Western cultural touchstones—from canonical artists to sacred texts—often with a deliberate sense of unease.
—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
23 June 2026
Beyond those obvious touchstones, though, there are surprising influences for this latest game.
—
George Yang,
Space.com,
22 June 2026
Some shows were educational, some were pure, glorious junk food for the mind, and others became cultural touchstones.
—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
22 June 2026
As Freedom Needs a Soundtrack recounts, those early touchstones shaped Potts’ understanding of what music could do in the world, and also its limits.
—
Michele Amabile Angermiller,
Rolling Stone,
15 June 2026
Red Lobster’s dining rooms have doubled as communal ground, touchstones of belonging for generations of Black families.
—
Rita Omokha,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
Both cases became touchstones for how ethics consultants and care teams navigate the life‑and‑death decisions that have become routine in an era of life‑sustaining technology.
—
Jennifer McCurdy,
The Conversation,
2 June 2026
Or are Mario Bros memorabilia and Pokémon cards the new cultural touchstones?
—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
25 May 2026
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
29 June 2026
The work interweaves South and Southeast Asian mythologies and histories with Western cultural touchstones—from canonical artists to sacred texts—often with a deliberate sense of unease.
—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
23 June 2026
Beyond those obvious touchstones, though, there are surprising influences for this latest game.
—
George Yang,
Space.com,
22 June 2026
Some shows were educational, some were pure, glorious junk food for the mind, and others became cultural touchstones.
—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
22 June 2026
As Freedom Needs a Soundtrack recounts, those early touchstones shaped Potts’ understanding of what music could do in the world, and also its limits.
—
Michele Amabile Angermiller,
Rolling Stone,
15 June 2026
Red Lobster’s dining rooms have doubled as communal ground, touchstones of belonging for generations of Black families.
—
Rita Omokha,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
Both cases became touchstones for how ethics consultants and care teams navigate the life‑and‑death decisions that have become routine in an era of life‑sustaining technology.
—
Jennifer McCurdy,
The Conversation,
2 June 2026
Or are Mario Bros memorabilia and Pokémon cards the new cultural touchstones?
—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
25 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touchstones
Noun
-
The next step in the process involves the city drafting a redevelopment plan outlining development standards before holding public hearings and seeking additional approvals.
-
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
-
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.
-
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
-
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.
-
Over time, colleges have steadily reduced the number of objective benchmarks available for comparing applicants while increasing the role of institutional judgment.
Cite this Entry
“Touchstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touchstones. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
