yardstick
n. countablen. a standard or a measurement used to judge the quality or value of something. You use it to compare things and see how they measure up.
n. a standard of measurement or a criterion for judging the quality, value, or performance of something. Often used metaphorically to describe a benchmark against which other things are evaluated.
The company uses customer satisfaction as a yardstick for success.
In many developing countries, access to clean water remains the primary yardstick for measuring public health progress.
While the initial budget served as a yardstick for the project's scope, the final costs were significantly higher due to unforeseen logistical challenges and rising material prices.
From yard + stick.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated June 22, 2026