as in standards
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared
this prize-winning biography will be the benchmark against which all others will be judged in future years
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Recent Examples of benchmarks
In a report released Friday, Warshaw said the Oakland Police Department had met all 51 benchmarks needed to escape federal court oversight — an achievement never before reached by the department.
—
Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Both of those benchmarks should be shattered this season, barring the nagging injuries that have plagued his otherwise prolific career.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Based on an investment simulation that the researchers ran, a portfolio of companies with high workplace well‑being could outperform against standard market benchmarks.
—Bill Howatt, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Anthropic said the model shows improvements across coding, reasoning, and agentic benchmarks while also becoming more transparent about uncertainty.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
According to the proposal, the tax would apply to clubs that fail to meet minimum payroll benchmarks, reportedly teams spending less than $150 million.
—Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
On the investment side, many individual investors have historically underperformed market benchmarks by material margins.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Porter highlighted that the state should focus on ensuring students meet the educational benchmarks needed to succeed.
—James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Success means using data, best practices, and clear performance benchmarks to evaluate programs and investments, and adjusting course when something is not working.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Both of those benchmarks should be shattered this season, barring the nagging injuries that have plagued his otherwise prolific career.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Based on an investment simulation that the researchers ran, a portfolio of companies with high workplace well‑being could outperform against standard market benchmarks.
—Bill Howatt, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Anthropic said the model shows improvements across coding, reasoning, and agentic benchmarks while also becoming more transparent about uncertainty.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
According to the proposal, the tax would apply to clubs that fail to meet minimum payroll benchmarks, reportedly teams spending less than $150 million.
—Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
On the investment side, many individual investors have historically underperformed market benchmarks by material margins.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Porter highlighted that the state should focus on ensuring students meet the educational benchmarks needed to succeed.
—James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Success means using data, best practices, and clear performance benchmarks to evaluate programs and investments, and adjusting course when something is not working.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benchmarks
Noun
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His other, more conservative but still expressive sets for RCA comprised a joint project with Coleman Hawkins, a recital of familiar bop tunes and a collection of standards.—
Chris Morris,
Variety,
26 May 2026
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As a 42-year-old mom, my standards are admittedly high.—
Jill Layton,
PEOPLE,
25 May 2026
Noun
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However, the restrictions were amended in 2024 to permit select athletes to compete under authorized neutral criteria, though many critics argued the criteria were inconsistently enforced.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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To top the list, a place must earn high scores in criteria such as affordability, desirability, and quality of life, which encompass factors like healthcare, infrastructure, and education.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
21 May 2026
Noun
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Case said economists use several metrics to gauge whether a market favors buyers or sellers, including how long homes sit on the market, how much inventory is available and whether homes are typically selling above or below asking price.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
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With the metrics of success ever-evolving, Rassi underscored the importance of prioritizing profitability over growth.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Benchmarks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benchmarks. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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