noun
-
a measure or standard used for comparison
on what kind of yardstick is he basing his criticism?
-
a graduated stick, one yard long, used for measurement
Etymology
Origin of yardstick
Explanation
A long tool used to measure lengths of up to three feet is called a yardstick. A carpenter carefully measuring lengths of wood before cutting might use a yardstick. A yardstick is basically a long ruler — three times as long, to be specific — with units marked in inches. Most are made of wood, sometimes hinged so they can be folded, and their size makes them ideal for specific tasks in construction and carpentry. The word yardstick is also used figuratively to mean "standard or benchmark." So you might say that your yardstick for success as a gardener is how many tomatoes you pick over the summer.
Vocabulary lists containing yardstick
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.
Book value, or shareholder equity, has been a good yardstick for Berkshire stock during Buffett’s tenure.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
The result may not be the yardstick for England.
From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026
Shakespeare was still the yardstick by which any actor proved himself.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026
And by any yardstick, from infant mortality to life expectancy, America occupies the cellar among peer countries, including several that many would consider to be inferior.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 26, 2026
His perch is a section of a sturdy old-fashioned yardstick, triangular in cross-section.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
