touchstone

"The Moon is a kind of touchstone for us - and an important conceptual stepping stone on our way to Mercury."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026

Also opening on Broadway in 1959 was Lorraine Hansberry’s masterpiece “A Raisin in the Sun,” a touchstone of American drama.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

For color, Tiernan referenced early hand-tinting of black and white, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s Technicolor masterpiece “The Red Shoes” and Alfred Hitchcock’s dreamlike “Vertigo,” which was his touchstone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

Once a cultural touchstone, late-night television has seen its prominence erode greatly over the years with viewers and advertising dollars shifting away from broadcast TV to streaming.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026

The person who distrusts himself has no touchstone for reality—for this touchstone can be only oneself.

From "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin

“Widow’s Bay,” leaning into comedy, goes old school, conjuring familiar spectres that knowingly nod to “Jaws,” “Psycho,” the canonical works of King and John Carpenter, and other touchstones of cultural anxiety.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

The group’s atmospheric sound and heart-on-sleeve romanticism have become touchstones for a wide variety of acts, from tranquil dream-poppers to loud and demonstrative emo-punks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 2, 2026

And of course, Bad Bunny is hugely popular across the United States, which has among the largest Spanish-speaking populations globally -- so why wouldn't he take part in one of the country's cultural touchstones?

From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026

That context makes it clearer to understand why, four decades after it flopped in theaters, “Labyrinth” and Bowie’s work in it are now beloved cultural touchstones.

From Salon ● Jan. 24, 2026

Family mottoes, touchstones, prayers of sorts, they boasted of honor and glory, promised loyalty and truth, swore faith and courage.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin