perform relative to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "perform relative to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing actions or behaviors in relation to a specific standard, benchmark, or context. Example: "The team will perform relative to the established guidelines to ensure consistency in their work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

And because it focuses on median performance, it is not helpful in projecting how large-capitalization stocks will perform relative to small caps.

The New York Times

Stockwise, what matters, he insists, is how the company's shares perform relative to those of its competitors.

The New York Times

We let them set the deadline, but then we track very closely how they perform relative to that.

The New York Times

I bet this measure substantially understates how well G-rated films perform relative to other films though, since children's films like "Finding Nemo" offer a lot of opportunities for lucrative merchandising.

The New York Times

While the slow improvement of all groups is "still a success story," Mr. Petrilli said, the achievement gap, which shows how different groups perform relative to one another, still means that most black and Hispanic students will be at a sharp disadvantage when they have to compete against white and Asian peers as they move through schools and into the workplace.

The New York Times

In short, the study evaluates how well vehicles perform relative to consumer expectations.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

You're constantly aware of how you are performing relative to the competition and relative to your average performance.

Huffington Post

David Hill, chairman of the Fox Television Sports Group, analyzes his sports stable for how it performs relative to prime-time programming.

The New York Times - Sports

It's interesting to note how inconsistently the American economy has performed relative to these figures.

The Economist

The problem is that they do not consider how a candidate performed relative to expectations.

The New York Times

The best you can do is see how its price has performed relative to other things (see chart).

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "perform relative to", ensure you clearly define the benchmark or standard against which the performance is being measured to provide context and clarity for your audience.

Common error

Avoid using "perform relative to" without specifying what the performance is being compared to. For example, instead of saying 'The stock performed well relative to economic indicators', be specific: 'The stock performed well relative to the S&P 500 index'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "perform relative to" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb, typically indicating a comparison or relationship between the performance of something and a specific benchmark, standard, or other entity. Ludwig AI indicates that is a valid and acceptable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

6%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "perform relative to" is a versatile expression used to compare the performance of one entity against another, whether it's a benchmark, competitor, or past performance. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. Its prevalence in "News & Media", "Science", and "Formal & Business" contexts underscores its utility in professional and analytical settings. When using this phrase, clarity is key; ensure that the reference point for comparison is clearly defined. Alternatives such as "perform compared to" or "perform in relation to" can be used to achieve similar meanings with slight variations in formality or emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

perform in relation to

Replaces "relative to" with "in relation to", offering a slightly more formal tone but maintaining the core meaning.

perform compared to

Substitutes "relative to" with the more direct "compared to", simplifying the comparison.

perform against

Uses "against" to indicate a comparison in performance, often implying competition or opposition.

perform in comparison with

Offers a more verbose alternative, explicitly stating that a comparison is being made.

perform vis-à-vis

Introduces a formal term, "vis-à-vis", to denote the relationship or comparison between performances.

how well does it perform against

Focuses specifically on measuring performance in a competitive context.

measure performance against

Emphasizes the act of measuring and comparing performance with a specific standard.

perform alongside

Shifts the focus to performing concurrently or in coordination, rather than in direct comparison.

stack up against

Offers a more informal, idiomatic way of asking how something compares in performance.

compete with

Highlights the competitive aspect of performance, focusing on outperforming others.

FAQs

How can I use "perform relative to" in a sentence?

Use "perform relative to" to compare the performance of one thing against another. For example, "The new marketing campaign performed well relative to last year's campaign".

What are some alternatives to "perform relative to"?

You can use alternatives like "perform compared to", "perform in relation to", or "perform against" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "perform relative to" or "outperform"?

The choice depends on the context. "Perform relative to" is a general comparison, while "outperform" specifically means to perform better than something else. Use "outperform" when you want to emphasize superiority in performance.

Which is more formal, "perform relative to" or "compared to"?

"Perform relative to" is generally considered slightly more formal than "compared to", although both are acceptable in most contexts. The best choice depends on the overall tone and style of your writing.