Meaning & use
litmus test
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Meanings
nouncountablefigurative
A single question or fact used to decide where someone stands or whether something is acceptable.
Grammar: Usually singular with an or the: a litmus test for loyalty.
Patterns
- a litmus test for something
- a litmus test of something
- pass a litmus test
Support for the policy became a litmus test for party members.
How he treats waiters is a litmus test of his character.
The new law is a litmus test for the government's commitment to reform.
nouncountablechemistry
A chemical test using paper treated with a dye that turns red in acid and blue in alkali.
Grammar: Used in school science: perform a litmus test.
Patterns
- a litmus test on something
- do a litmus test
The students did a litmus test on the lemon juice and the paper turned red.
A simple litmus test showed that the soil was slightly alkaline.
The litmus test confirmed the solution was acidic.
Word forms
| plural | litmus tests |
|---|
Common combinations
- political litmus test
- Voters used the vote as a political litmus test.
- pass the litmus test
- The plan failed to pass the litmus test of public support.
- serve as a litmus test
- The election will serve as a litmus test for the new leader.
- a litmus test for loyalty
- He called the question a litmus test for loyalty.
- apply a litmus test
- Hiring managers often apply a litmus test of cultural fit.
- ideological litmus test
- Judges should not face an ideological litmus test.
Synonyms and how they differ
- acid test
- Acid test is a close figurative match that stresses a harsh trial of real worth, whereas litmus test stresses revealing someone's position.
- touchstone
- Touchstone is a standard used to judge quality, with no sense of a single pass-or-fail question.
- benchmark
- A benchmark is a measured standard for comparison, while a litmus test is one decisive check.
- yardstick
- A yardstick is used to measure or compare, not to reveal a hidden attitude.
Word family
- litmus noun
- a blue dye from lichens that changes color with acid or alkali
- litmus paper noun
- paper treated with litmus to test acids and alkalis
- litmus solution noun
- a liquid containing litmus dye
- litmus tests noun
- plural of litmus test
Commonly confused: litmus test or acid test?
litmus test vs acid test
Acid test is similar but older and stresses a severe check of real value, while litmus test suggests a simple indicator of a position.
Practice
A commentator says a candidate's answer on taxes is a ___ for whether voters can trust him. Which phrase fits best?
Choose one answer.
A litmus test is a single decisive indicator. The other options are not standard phrases.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “litmus test”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.