benchmark to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "benchmark to" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is typically "benchmark against" or "benchmark with." Example: "We need to benchmark our performance against industry standards to identify areas for improvement."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"He showed me a benchmark to aim for.

The Guardian - Film

But this is the wrong benchmark to use.

The New Yorker

The market will ultimately decide which benchmark to favour.

The Economist

His life is a benchmark to us all.

The New York Times

It was a heck of a benchmark to live up to.

The Guardian - Sport

I think.500 is the benchmark to shoot for, first and foremost".

The New York Times - Sports

It is such a unique entity that there is no benchmark to study.

The New York Times

The hope is that we can use anatomy and movement studies as a benchmark to measure against those in captivity.

The Guardian

Any announcement from Cameron will be judged against this benchmark to see if it is new extra funding.

The Guardian

He told MPs that the three jails would now have to meet a new public sector benchmark to reduce costs.

The Guardian

When Aho's crew sets sail in the Bermuda Race, they will have a high benchmark to shoot for.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "benchmark", consider using "benchmark against" or "benchmark with" to ensure grammatical accuracy.

Common error

Avoid using "to" directly after "benchmark". The correct usage typically involves "against" or "with" to indicate a comparison.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "benchmark to" functions as a verbal phrase when attempting to describe the action of comparing something against a standard. However, it's grammatically questionable, as shown by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "benchmark to" is frequently used across various contexts, including news, science, and business. However, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The correct usage involves using "benchmark against" or "benchmark with" to maintain grammatical accuracy. While prevalent, especially in sources like The Guardian, The New York Times, and Forbes, writers should aim for the grammatically correct alternatives to ensure clarity and precision in their writing. The high frequency of the phrase suggests its common, albeit incorrect, adoption.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

benchmark against

Uses the correct preposition "against" instead of "to" with "benchmark".

standard to

Replaces "benchmark" with a more general term for a point of reference, keeping the preposition "to".

criterion to

Substitutes "benchmark" with "criterion", focusing on a standard for judging something, maintaining "to".

index to

Uses "index" instead of "benchmark", highlighting a measure used for comparison, retaining "to".

compare to

Emphasizes the act of comparing something to a standard, shifting the focus slightly.

requirement to

Emphasizes a necessary condition for something, differing slightly in focus from a standard, but still uses "to".

evaluate against

Focuses on assessing something in relation to a standard, emphasizing the evaluation process.

performance to

Focuses on evaluating performance against a certain level, while keeping "to" but sounding awkward and grammatically wrong.

gauge against

Highlights measuring or assessing something against a standard.

measure against

Highlights the act of measuring something according to a standard.

FAQs

Is "benchmark to" grammatically correct?

No, the standard English usage is "benchmark against" or "benchmark with". The phrase "benchmark to" is generally considered incorrect.

What preposition should I use with "benchmark"?

The most appropriate prepositions are "against" or "with". For example, "benchmark performance against industry standards" or "benchmark our results with previous data".

Are there alternatives to using the word "benchmark"?

Yes, you can use alternatives such as "compare to", "evaluate against", or "measure against" depending on the specific context.

How can I use "benchmark against" in a sentence?

You might say, "We need to benchmark our progress against our initial goals to ensure we're on track" or "The company will benchmark its customer service against the leading providers in the industry".