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
benchmarked; benchmarking; benchmarks
business
: to study (something, such as a competitor's product or business practices) in order to improve the performance of one's own company
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
Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025
Tesla shares are down 13% since the end of May, just before Musk and Trump began publicly arguing, a period in which the S&P 500 benchmark is up 5%.
—Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Steve McDowell, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Asia-Pacific markets mostly fell Wednesday, following a softer-than-expected inflation data from the U.S. that sent two key Wall Street benchmarks higher overnight.
—Lim Hui Jie,amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benchmark
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.
Noun
The index is equal weighted, meaning each stock starts off as 2.5% the value of the overall benchmark.
—Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025
Tesla shares are down 13% since the end of May, just before Musk and Trump began publicly arguing, a period in which the S&P 500 benchmark is up 5%.
—Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
NetApp recently released findings from its 2025 AI Space Race report, a global research initiative designed to benchmark AI readiness across executive leadership and IT teams.
—Steve McDowell, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Asia-Pacific markets mostly fell Wednesday, following a softer-than-expected inflation data from the U.S. that sent two key Wall Street benchmarks higher overnight.
—Lim Hui Jie,amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benchmark
Cite this Entry
“Benchmark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benchmark. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share