0 a level of quality that can be used as a standard when comparing other things:
Her outstanding performances set a new benchmark for singers throughout the world.
2 to measure the quality of something by comparing it with something else of an accepted standard:
3 a standard for measuring or judging other things of the same type:
Her performances set a new benchmark for classical pianists.
4 a level of quality that can be used as a standard against which to compare other things:
5 a share price, interest rate, etc. that other share prices, interest rates, etc. can be compared against:
6 a computer program that measures the quality and speed of computer software or hardware (= equipment or electronic parts):
7 to measure the quality of something by comparing it with something else of an accepted standard:
Being able to benchmark performance is very important for new companies.
The European Parliament has launched a programme to benchmark employment laws across the EU.
8 to use something as a standard in order to improve your own work, products, or processes:
benchmark (sb/sth) against sth The company continues to benchmark against the competition.
The results allow the company to benchmark itself against other organizations and identify areas for improvement.
9 to test the quality and speed of computer software or hardware (= equipment or electronic parts):
Natural gas is still a regional commodity, and its price is only loosely connected to world oil benchmark prices.
This qualification is for advisers who have passed benchmark qualifications in financial advice.
Using these benchmarks, we measured the impact of different heuristics used in the select action function.
To measure the parameters describing the states reached by the compressed material and thus to provide benchmarks for simulation codes, different optical diagnostics were employed.
To provide two important benchmarks, for each window we estimate two linear models.
The first example concerns a recent controversy surrounding the use of national literacy benchmarks for primary school lear ners.
Many things were important as benchmarks of how this progress could be measured - education, increasing professionalisation, artistic production - but the underlying criterion was material.
