as in challenge
something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that is used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable
The party is using attitudes about gun control as a litmus test for political candidates.
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Recent Examples of litmus test
Wall Street faces another key litmus test Thursday with earnings results from megacap technology giants Apple and Amazon .
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Samantha Subin, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024
They also will almost certainly be interpreted as a litmus test of President-elect Trump’s popularity and standing.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 28 Nov. 2024
Think about tonight as a litmus test: The NFL’s best scoring defense trying to stop one of the hottest offenses.
—Andrew Greif, NBC News, 18 Nov. 2024
Certainly that litmus test has never been truer than in past years.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for litmus test 
Samantha Subin, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024
They also will almost certainly be interpreted as a litmus test of President-elect Trump’s popularity and standing.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 28 Nov. 2024
Think about tonight as a litmus test: The NFL’s best scoring defense trying to stop one of the hottest offenses.
—Andrew Greif, NBC News, 18 Nov. 2024
Certainly that litmus test has never been truer than in past years.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for litmus test
Recent Examples of Synonyms for litmus test
Noun
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As another challenge, wind gusts are up to 60 mph and expected to resume.Janhvi Bhojwani, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2025
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Prisons are also facing retention challenges: staffing shortages in some Australian prisons are so acute that 23-hour lockdowns have been instituted in order to keep control.Richard Hobbs, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But those lines, and those gauntlets, differ depending who is asked.Will Carless, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2025
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The Chiefs, though, are in a bit of a difficult position, considering their gauntlet of a schedule coming up with games played on Saturday vs. the Texans and then Wednesday at the Pittsburgh Steelers.Jeff Fedotin, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Liverpool passed acid tests in Milan and Manchester, and are perfect from six Champions League games, only conceding once.Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
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That was the acid test that our music was acceptable.David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2024
Noun
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One of the best was the part about enjoying the season and not making playoff success your litmus for hockey fandom happiness.Murat Ates, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
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Alpert maintains that his litmus for music has remained the same throughout the decades.Gary Graff, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2024
Noun
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But in the downtown criminal courthouse, the absence of defendants derailed proceedings in several cases, including at least one murder trial slated to begin closing arguments Friday.Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
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Nauta and De Oliveira argued a limited release to lawmakers could still prejudice any eventual trial against them.Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Litmus test.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/litmus%20test. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
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