Meaning & use
baseline
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Meanings
nouncountabletechnical
A starting measurement or standard that later results are compared with.
Grammar: Usually with a, the or baseline data.
Patterns
- a baseline for something
- against a baseline
- baseline measurement
Doctors recorded her blood pressure as a baseline before the treatment.
The survey results will serve as a baseline for next year's comparison.
Sales are well above the baseline set in January.
nouncountablesport
The line at each end of a tennis, badminton or basketball court that marks the edge of play.
Grammar: In tennis, a baseline player stays near that line.
Patterns
- at the baseline
- from the baseline
She stayed at the baseline and returned every shot.
The ball landed just inside the baseline.
The player stepped over the baseline when serving.
nouncountablesportAmerican
One of the lines joining the bases on a baseball field.
Grammar: Often plural: runners must stay in the baseline.
Patterns
- run the baseline
The runner dashed along the baseline to third.
A fielder cannot block the baseline without the ball.
Chalk marked the baselines on the diamond.
Word forms
| plural | baselines |
|---|
Common combinations
- establish a baseline
- First we need to establish a baseline for student performance.
- baseline data
- The baseline data show how healthy the patients were at the start.
- above the baseline
- Sales rose above the baseline in spring.
- baseline measurement
- A baseline measurement was taken before the experiment.
- set a baseline
- The manager set a baseline for monthly output.
- baseline rally
- They played a long baseline rally.
Synonyms and how they differ
- benchmark
- A benchmark is a standard to aim at or compare with, while baseline is where you start from.
- standard
- Standard is a broader level of quality, not a measured starting point.
- control
- A control in an experiment is a group left unchanged for comparison, whereas a baseline is a measurement before change.
- starting point
- Starting point is everyday language for a first position, while baseline implies it will be measured and compared.
Word family
Commonly confused: baseline or benchmark?
baseline vs benchmark
A benchmark is a standard to compare against, such as an industry leader, whereas a baseline is your own starting measure.
Practice
Before changing the diet, the researchers recorded each child's weight as a ______.
Choose one answer.
A baseline is a starting measurement for later comparison. A deadline is a time limit, bottom line is a final figure, and guideline is advice.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “baseline”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.