baseline

noun

base·​line ˈbās-ˌlīn 

often attributive

1

: a line serving as a basis

especially : one of known measure or position used (as in surveying or navigation) to calculate or locate something

2

a

: either of the lines on a baseball field that lead from home plate to first base and third base and are extended into the outfield as foul lines

b

: basepath

3

: a boundary line at either end of a court (as in tennis or basketball)

4

: a usually initial set of critical observations or data used for comparison or a control

5

: a starting point

the baseline of this discussion

Synonyms

• alpha
• beginning
• birth
• commencement
• dawn
• day one
• genesis
• get-go
• git-go
• inception
• incipience
• incipiency
• kickoff
• launch
• morning
• nascence
• nascency
• onset
• outset
• start
• threshold

Examples of baseline in a Sentence

The experiment is meant only to provide a baseline for other studies.

any year or event we use as the baseline for the Renaissance is going to be at least somewhat arbitrary

Recent Examples on the Web

King was the primary beneficiary of that extra space on the baseline, hitting multiple jumpers as Hidalgo found her repeatedly in the short corner. —Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024

Meeting baseline staffing or maintenance standards may keep the lights on, but exceeding them can unlock outsized gains. —Stephen Wunker, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

They are also supposed to set baseline rules that safeguard the integrity of the sport. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Dec. 2024

This, along with the faster-growing populations in other countries, means that the EU will only account for 4.1 percent of the global population by that point, Eurostat said in its baseline projections released in July this year. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

baseline

noun

base·​line ˈbās-ˌlīn 

1

: a line used as a base

2

a

: either of two straight lines on a baseball field leading from home plate to first base and third base and extending into the outfield

b

: base path

Medical Definition

baseline

noun

base·​line ˈbā-ˌslīn 

: a set of critical observations or data used for comparison or a control