par

noun

ˈpär How to pronounce par (audio)
Definition of parnext
1
as in standard
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared that last dining experience was not quite up to par

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in equivalence
the state or fact of being exactly the same in number, amount, status, or quality these California wines are on a par with the best produced in Europe

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in average
what is typical of a group, class, or series a pulse of 70 is par for people of that age group

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of par One bogey on the par-four 12th was the only blemish on his scorecard. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 Honoring the undocumented and decrying their persecutors at the height of her career, against political headwinds and with nothing to gain and everything to lose, was par for her life, and a challenge for all of us to do the same. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 But as the third and purportedly final chapter of the trilogy, a smart campaign will get awards voters focused on the enormity of the Dune endeavor as a whole, on par with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026 That's about on par with the Pixel 11 Pro's scores of 2,700 and 3,400, and only slightly behind the Pro XL's 2,755 and 7,563, which makes sense given the screen size and pixel difference. — Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for par
Recent Examples of Synonyms for par
  1. standard
  2. equivalence
  3. average
  4. criterion
  5. equivalency
  6. normal
  7. benchmark
  8. equality
Noun
  • And under the residential building standards, an accessory building is limited to 800 square feet.
    — Luisa Yanez Updated September 3, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Union County Public Schools led North Carolina in overall student proficiency for the second year in a row, with nearly three-quarters of students meeting state standards on end-of-year exams.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of standard
Noun
  • Although there is no moral equivalence between the two, both are manifestations of the same problem.
    — Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
  • That’s a false equivalence a lot of the time.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 June 2026
Definition of equivalence
Noun
  • With consumers paying an average of $49,855 for new cars in July 2026, according to Cox Automotive's Kelley Blue Book, only nine major car brands averaged sale prices under $40,000 in the United States.
    — Keith Laing, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • That pattern is linked to above-average hurricane activity in the eastern Pacific, and also is usually tied to above-average rainfall for Southern California in the winter.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of average
Noun
  • Here are the stocks that met that criteria and were also up more than 5% on the week.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The tropical disturbance influencing Sunday's forecast is expected to move west, dropping the probability of weather violating launch criteria to about 30% — offering a 70% chance of acceptable conditions.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of criterion
Noun
  • The measure also prohibits undocumented students from enrolling in adult general education programs in high schools and state colleges, which help prepare those taking the GED exam for the equivalency of a high school diploma.
    — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2026
  • There’s an equivalency with Platner, and some of it has to do with a populist style of politics.
    — Nicholas Jacobs, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
Definition of equivalency
Noun
  • But with climate change, the pace of this July’s flash flooding, and that of the past two years, may just be the new normal for mid-summer.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
  • But the idea of global water bankruptcy shows that in many places, there’s no old normal to go back to.
    — Sara Roversi, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of normal
Noun
  • Across a full ten-year window Pandora has lagged a broad equity benchmark; shorter windows since 2019 look better.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Fed's benchmark overnight lending rate influences borrowing costs across the economy.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of benchmark
Noun
  • Specifically, the soft power of the movement for equality—its moral authority—was rapidly being converted into hard power.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Her lyrics were representative of America throughout different decades, including the changing experiences of women who demanded equality.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of equality

Phrases Containing par

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papules
par
parable
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Cite this Entry

“Par.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/par. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on par

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about par

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