benchmarks

noun

plural of benchmark
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of benchmarks Atlanta Public Schools improved on this year’s math, social studies and science exams at a rate that outpaced the state’s improvement benchmarks. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Google models now significantly lag rivals on coding agent benchmarks, according to Hill-Smith. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026 Taken together, Ukraine is seeking to field autonomous systems that are cheap, effective, and easy to use, while establishing clear benchmarks to measure their performance. — David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 English-only instruction is now required, while states no longer have to meet key benchmarks related to nutrition, curriculum, and teacher qualifications. — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 7 Aug. 2026 Advertisement Claude began beating the benchmarks The change Clark had walked into was not entirely unexpected. — Harry Booth, Time, 7 Aug. 2026 Officials step up monitoring for ammonia and other pollutants after levels far above state health benchmarks, as Lineage insists its refrigeration system is intact while rushing an expensive, high-speed cleanup. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 Another nod to Space Age benchmarks is the quad-exhaust setup arranged in a diamond pattern. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 3 Aug. 2026 Kevin Feige can’t stop breaking his own box office benchmarks. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benchmarks
  1. standards
  2. criteria
  3. metrics
Noun
  • Another question is whether this sentencing met the standards of credible transitional justice.
    — Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Standard rooms already feel generous by Vegas standards, and suites step up to apartment-like layouts, with separate living areas that make longer stays or work trips more comfortable.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of standards
Noun
  • Daniels is also not yet eligible, under LSU rules, to have his jersey retired, as the school has a five-year waiting period listed as one of its criteria for jersey retirement.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is determined by symptoms and physical signs, as well as diagnostic criteria.
    — Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of criteria
Noun
  • In that moment, metrics became lives, leadership became leverage and execution shifted from operational to deeply ethical.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • In the past few weeks, two more Chinese firms, Alibaba and Moonshot, have put out models that, based on some metrics, can match the latest and most powerful offerings from Anthropic and OpenAI.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of metrics

Browse Nearby Words

benchmark
benchmarks
bend
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Cite this Entry

“Benchmarks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benchmarks. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on benchmarks

Nglish: Translation of benchmarks for Spanish Speakers

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