barometer
Americannoun
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Meteorology. any instrument that measures atmospheric pressure.
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anything that indicates changes.
noun
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an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure, usually to determine altitude or weather changes
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anything that shows change or impending change
the barometer of social change
Discover More
In general, when the barometer falls in response to a drop in pressure, bad weather is approaching; when the barometer rises because of an increase in pressure, good weather will follow.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of barometer
Explanation
A barometer is a device that measures atmospheric pressure. Barometers help meteorologists figure out what the weather is going to be like. Sure, it's technically a weather man's tool — but you can use barometer more generally to describe anything that can be used to forecast or measure something else. The stock market is a barometer for economic health. Your grades are a barometer of how you're doing in school. For the President, a national poll is a barometer of political success. These kinds of barometers tell which way the wind is blowing — just not literally.
Vocabulary lists containing barometer
Physical Geography - Introductory
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Weather and Climate - Introductory
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Physical Geography - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Chicago Business Barometer, compiled by MNI Indicators, slipped to 56.7 from 62.7 in May, but still beat expectations.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026
The S&P Case-Shiller home-price index is due at 9 a.m., followed by the Chicago Business Barometer at 9:45 a.m., with data on consumer confidence and job openings at 10 a.m.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026
The Chicago Business Barometer is due at 9:45 a.m., followed by leading economic indicators at 10 a.m.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026
There is a solid data source of consistently asked questions going back five decades - it is the measure now called the GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer.
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026
But there wasn’t time to explain to her what his father called The Gut Barometer, or TGB.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
