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
A good deal for flights from major US cities to Europe this summer would be $600 roundtrip and about $900 roundtrip from smaller cities, according to Going's data—helpful benchmarks to keep in mind when researching and comparing fares.
—
Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
Natural gas, jet fuel and international oil benchmarks have also jumped significantly.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 11 Mar. 2026
Rather, the Fed adjusts the federal funds rate, which influences a wide range of financial benchmarks throughout the economy.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Our graphics performance testing starts with four of UL's macOS-ready 3DMark benchmarks.
—Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026
As crude prices surged, equity markets across Asia and the rest of the world slumped, with South Korea’s Kospi and Japan’s Nikkei benchmarks sliding sharply on Monday.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 9 Mar. 2026
They are also independently rated by SuppCo’s TrustScore system, which evaluates multiple benchmarks of product quality (more on that, below).
—Brianna Peters, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2026
The report argues that centralization would reduce duplication, improve governance and allow the city to reassign staff to areas where benchmarks indicate shortages.
—Chaya Tong, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
So far, the youngest Bay Staters are still far behind expected reading benchmarks.
—State House News Service, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
Natural gas, jet fuel and international oil benchmarks have also jumped significantly.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 11 Mar. 2026
Rather, the Fed adjusts the federal funds rate, which influences a wide range of financial benchmarks throughout the economy.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Our graphics performance testing starts with four of UL's macOS-ready 3DMark benchmarks.
—Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 10 Mar. 2026
As crude prices surged, equity markets across Asia and the rest of the world slumped, with South Korea’s Kospi and Japan’s Nikkei benchmarks sliding sharply on Monday.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 9 Mar. 2026
They are also independently rated by SuppCo’s TrustScore system, which evaluates multiple benchmarks of product quality (more on that, below).
—Brianna Peters, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2026
The report argues that centralization would reduce duplication, improve governance and allow the city to reassign staff to areas where benchmarks indicate shortages.
—Chaya Tong, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
So far, the youngest Bay Staters are still far behind expected reading benchmarks.
—State House News Service, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benchmarks
Noun
-
Can software alone meet safety standards once defined by mechanical systems?—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The Downey Fire Department rescue vehicle that responded was not equipped with a Tremco anti-theft locking device required under state law and applicable Fire Department standards, the family’s attorneys argue.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The restaurants were selected by members of the Courier Journal newsroom based on various criteria, including taste, texture, cheese and topping to chip (or tot) ratio, creativity, flavor, and more.—
Amanda Hancock,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Mar. 2026
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The city and Alameda County keep that responsibility, and are still developing criteria.—
Ara Rosenthal,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Aztecs are still 44 in Kenpom and 45 in NET but plummeted in the key metrics of strength of record (67) and WAB (57).—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Trevor Story has historically been a strong defender too, though his metrics were somewhat skewed last year by a stretch of bad throws toward the end of the season.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Benchmarks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benchmarks. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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