What does "barometer" mean?
An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure.
Barometer
/bəˈɹɒm.ɪ.tə(ɹ)/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure.
- Grammar: barometer is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: aerological instrument, aneroid, aneroid barometer, aneroidograph.
- Usage evidence: The barometer is falling. It is going to rain.
How to use "barometer"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "barometer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "barometer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "barometer" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "barometer" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "barometer" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "aerological instrument" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "barometer", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure.
"Elsewhere, professionals could enthuse over new precision instruments capable, for instance, of measuring weights down to a tenth of a milligram, or over a host of self-registering thermometers and barometers, microscopes, typewriters, calculators and all sorts of technical and musical devices, including automatic concertinas, edeophones, auto-harps, bigophones and other long-forgotten objects."
- 2 an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure wordnet
- 3 Anything used as a gauge or indicator. broadly, figuratively
""An election is not necessarily an accurate barometer of public opinion. There are other ways in which it makes itself felt, through the press, the forum, discussion, and through every other type of communication.""
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The barometer is falling. It is going to rain."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "barometer"?
Common synonyms include: aerological instrument, aneroid, aneroid barometer, aneroidograph, atmospheric pressure gauge, barograph.
How do you use "barometer" in a sentence?
The barometer is falling. It is going to rain.
How do you pronounce "barometer"?
Pronounced /bəˈɹɒm.ɪ.tə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
From baro- + -meter. Coined in 1665 by Robert Boyle as a name for the instrument invented by Torricelli some 20 years earlier; soon thereafter borrowed from English into various languages.