benchmark

A standard used to judge how good something is.

• This score is our benchmark.
• Their products became a benchmark for quality.
• We compared our results with industry benchmarks.

How to use it: benchmark for something (This hotel sets a benchmark for excellent service.); benchmark against which… (The test provides a benchmark against which we can measure progress.)

Similar words: standard, yardstick

Common phrases: set a benchmark, benchmark for something, industry benchmark

A fixed mark whose known height helps people measure land accurately.

• The surveyor located the benchmark.
• A brass benchmark was fixed to the stone wall.
• The map shows several benchmarks with their elevations.

Similar words: survey mark

Common phrases: survey benchmark, permanent benchmark, benchmark elevation

To measure how well something works by comparing it with a standard or similar things.

• We benchmark each new computer.
• They benchmarked their costs against similar companies.
• The team is benchmarking the software before its release.

How to use it: benchmark something against something (We benchmark our service against leading competitors.)

Similar words: evaluate, compare

Common phrases: benchmark performance, benchmark a system, benchmark against something