barometer
noun
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When did barometer become figurative?
Originally, barometer referred to an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure. Although this meaning is still very much in use, the word has taken on a strongly figurative sense denoting something that signals changes in conditions not necessarily related to the weather. This extended use of barometer has existed since at least the early 18th century, when Isaac Bickerstaff used it in an article in The Tatler: “I have an Engine in my Study, which is a Sort of a Political Barometer, or, to speak more intelligibly, a State Weather-Glass.”
Synonyms
Examples of barometer in a Sentence
Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2024
The race will also serve as a barometer of sorts on the margin in the overall Senate.
—Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024
But polling companies have put in a lot of work to revise and refine their models, trying to recalibrate their assumptions to better capture representative samples of American voters, and so restore their statues as barometers of the nation's thoughts and feelings.
—Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
That was the conclusion of the S&P Dow Jones committee, which decides when changes need to be made to the 30-member index, long viewed as a key barometer of the U.S. economy.
—Ari Levy, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near barometer
Cite this Entry
“Barometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barometer. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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barometer
noun
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