benchmark

benchmark — noun

IPA/ˈbentʃmɑːk/
KK[bˈɛntʃmˌɑrk]IPA/ˈbentʃmɑːrk/
  • benchmarksingular
  • benchmarksplural

1. a result, level, or model that people check against to decide how good another t

1.nounC1
Definition

a result, level, or model that people check against to decide how good another thing is or how well it performs.

Example

The school used last year's reading scores as a benchmark for progress.

use something as a benchmark for + noun

Our hotel sets the benchmark for service in this part of town.

set the benchmark for + noun

Common collocations
  • use as a benchmark
  • set the benchmark
  • industry benchmark
  • benchmark for progress
  • benchmark in patient care
Synonyms
  • standard

    the closest general word; benchmark often stresses comparison of performance or quality

  • yardstick

    slightly more figurative and often used in writing

  • baseline

    often means a starting level rather than the best example to match

  • reference point

    broader; can be any fixed point used for comparison

Grammar Patterns

use + benchmark + for + something

set + the benchmark + for + something

benchmark + in + something

Usage Note

Often used after verbs such as 'use', 'set', 'meet', or 'beat'. It names the standard itself, unlike verb/1, which describes the act of comparing something with that standard.

Common Mistakes

We used the old plan benchmark.
We used the old plan as a benchmark.
the noun usually appears in patterns such as 'use ... as a benchmark'.
Our sales are the benchmark with other stores.
Our sales are the benchmark for other stores.
this noun commonly takes 'for' when it shows what is being judged.

benchmark — adjective

IPA/ˈbentʃ.mɑːk/
KK[bˈɛntʃmˌɑrk]IPA/ˈbentʃ.mɑːrk/

benchmark — verb

IPA/ˈbentʃ.mɑːk/
KK[bˈɛntʃmˌɑrk]IPA/ˈbentʃ.mɑːrk/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words all help us compare things, but they are not identical. A 'standard' is the broad everyday term for a level that should be reached. A 'benchmark' usually sounds more practical: it is the figure, example, or result people actively compare with when judging performance, quality, or cost. 'Yardstick' is similar, but it is more figurative and a little more literary. A 'baseline' is often the starting level before change happens, not necessarily the best model. A 'reference point' is the widest of all and can be any fixed point for comparison. You might say, 'Last year's sales are our benchmark,' but 'Our first survey gives us a baseline for future work.'

benchmark ↗standard ↗yardstick ↗baseline ↗reference point

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • set a benchmark
  • use as a benchmark
  • benchmark against competitors

Prepositions

Etymology

English

The word began in surveying English. A 'benchmark' was first a cut or marked point on stone or a wall that gave workers a fixed place for measuring height. From that physical mark, English later developed the wider idea of any standard used for comparison, and then the verb meaning to compare something with such a standard.