the gold standard
noun
1
: a system in which a unit of money (such as the dollar) is equal to a particular amount of gold
The United States was still on the gold standard in the early 20th century.
2
: something that is considered to be the best and that is used to judge the quality or level of other, similar things
This car is the gold standard for luxury automobiles.
the gold standard of stylish resorts
Examples of the gold standard in a Sentence
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The annuals that practically grow themselves Zinnias are the gold standard for first-time gardeners.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
Researchers revealed that for decades, collagen has been considered the gold standard scaffold used in many regenerative medical and dental application.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026
Considered the gold standard of journalism excellence, the Poynter Institute is a nonprofit organization that works to address the complexities facing the news industry, support press freedoms and foster trust of information.
—Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Indeed, for ibogaine, there have been very few randomized clinical trials, the gold standard for deciding whether a medication or other intervention does what it is meant to do.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
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Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
Researchers revealed that for decades, collagen has been considered the gold standard scaffold used in many regenerative medical and dental application.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026
Considered the gold standard of journalism excellence, the Poynter Institute is a nonprofit organization that works to address the complexities facing the news industry, support press freedoms and foster trust of information.
—Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Indeed, for ibogaine, there have been very few randomized clinical trials, the gold standard for deciding whether a medication or other intervention does what it is meant to do.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the gold standard
Cite this Entry
“The gold standard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20gold%20standard. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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