litmus test

noun

: a test in which a single factor (such as an attitude, event, or fact) is decisive

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Litmus Test Has Scientific Origins

It was in the 14th century that scientists discovered that litmus, a mixture of colored organic compounds obtained from lichen, turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions and, thus, can be used as an acid-base indicator. Six centuries later, people began using litmus test figuratively. It can now refer to any single factor that establishes the true character of something or causes it to be assigned to one category or another. Often it refers to something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that can be used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable or not.

Examples of litmus test in a Sentence

The party is using attitudes about gun control as a litmus test for political candidates.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Maine Independent Senator Angus King asked whether political litmus tests would influence CIA hiring operations. —

Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025 Amazon's return-to-office policy is a litmus test for whether in-person work can revive urban life downtown, which has been slower to rebound from the pandemic's economic blow than many other city centers. —

Christine Clarridge, Axios, 15 Jan. 2025 Beyond the specifics of each hearing, however, the process overall will be a litmus test for the incoming Trump administration. —

Niall Stanage, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025 Madison Square Garden will always be a litmus test for WWE. —

Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for litmus test