benchmark

1 of 2

noun

bench·​mark ˈbench-ˌmärk 

1

a

: something that serves as a standard by which others may be measured or judged

a stock whose performance is a benchmark against which other stocks can be measured

b

: a point of reference from which measurements may be made

c

: a standardized problem or test that serves as a basis for evaluation or comparison (as of computer system performance)

2

usually bench mark : a mark on a permanent object (such as a concrete post set into the ground) indicating elevation and serving as a reference in topographic surveys and tidal observations

benchmark

2 of 2

verb

benchmarked; benchmarking; benchmarks

transitive verb

business : to study (something, such as a competitor's product or business practices) in order to improve the performance of one's own company

Synonyms

Noun

• bar
• barometer
• criterion
• gold standard
• grade
• mark
• measure
• metric
• par
• standard
• touchstone
• yardstick

Examples of benchmark in a Sentence

Noun

a stock whose performance is a benchmark against which other stocks can be measured

this prize-winning biography will be the benchmark against which all others will be judged in future years

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Passive investing seeks to replicate, not beat a benchmark. —James Brewer, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024

As a benchmark, Hornung recommends businesses allocate between one percent and three percent of their top-line revenue toward cybersecurity, with sectors like health care and financial services, which handle highly sensitive data, at the higher end of this range. —Barbara Booth, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2024

Verb

Benchmark To Tap Into Industry Wisdom Leverage public data and industry reports to benchmark the most critical skills for the role. —Shiran Danoch, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024

Pay Attention To Benefits Utilization And Drive Awareness HR leaders should benchmark their total rewards strategy and pay attention to the utilization of the benefits that are offered. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1813, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1952, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

benchmark

noun

1

usually bench mark : a mark on a permanent object indicating elevation and serving as a reference in geological surveys

2

: something (as a test) that can be used as a standard to check other things (as computer programs) against