baseline

noun, often attributive

base·line | \ ˈbās-ˌlīn

Definition of baseline

1 : a line serving as a basis especially : one of known measure or position used (as in surveying or navigation) to calculate or locate something

2a : either of the lines on a baseball field that lead from home plate to first base and third base and are extended into the outfield as foul lines

b : basepath

3 : a boundary line at either end of a court (as in tennis or basketball)

4 : a usually initial set of critical observations or data used for comparison or a control

5 : a starting point the baseline of this discussion

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about baseline

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Examples of baseline in a Sentence

The experiment is meant only to provide a baseline for other studies. any year or event we use as the baseline for the Renaissance is going to be at least somewhat arbitrary

Recent Examples on the Web

Goffin was able to hang in there at the baseline and his on-the-run passing shots were dialed in. — Howard Fendrich, Houston Chronicle, "Novak Djokovic's 10-game run tops David Goffin in Wimbledon quarterfinal," 10 July 2019 Thiem, looking lower on energy and inspiration, could not hold his own, and Nadal soon ran out the match, mixing successful forays to the net with his customary precision and court coverage at the baseline. — Christopher Clarey, New York Times, "Rafael Nadal, Pillar of Roland Garros, Wins the French Open for the 12th Time," 9 June 2019 Having offered up a break point, Strycova crouched at the baseline and rested her racket on her head. — Howard Fendrich, sun-sentinel.com, "Serena Williams makes Wimbledon final, moves closer to tying Slam record," 11 July 2019 At the start of their Thursday match, Kyrgios appeared to mock the way in which Nadal sprints to the baseline from the net after the opening coin toss. — Gerald Marzorati, The New Yorker, "Wimbledon 2019: Kyrgios vs. Nadal and the Difference Between an Entertainer and a Champion," 5 July 2019 One of my favorite controllers of all-time, the new Xbox Elite comes with both a rechargeable battery and the Bluetooth connectivity added to the baseline Xbox One controllers a few years ago now. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "Microsoft's Xbox E3 2019 reveals: Watch all the major game announcements here," 9 June 2019 But Thag stays incredibly happy while Crag drops back to baseline within a week. — William Von Hippel, Discover Magazine, "Why Natural Selection Means We'll Never Be Happy," 20 Feb. 2019 Williams broomed through the first set in 29 minutes, crackling with her first serve and whistling crisp winners from the baseline. — Jason Gay, WSJ, "Serena Williams Rocks, Then Rolls at Wimbledon," 11 July 2019 Williams’s timing was excellent, both from the baseline and in broader terms. — Christopher Clarey, New York Times, "Serena Williams Reminds the Wimbledon Field That She Is Still a Force," 6 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'baseline.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for baseline

baseline

noun

English Language Learners Definition of baseline

technical : information that is used as a starting point by which to compare other information

: a line at either end of the playing area in games like basketball and tennis

: either one of the lines that lead from home plate to first base and third base

See the full definition for baseline in the English Language Learners Dictionary

baseline

noun

base·line | \ ˈbā-ˌslīn

Medical Definition of baseline

: a set of critical observations or data used for comparison or a control

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baseline

Definition of baseline

Synonyms & Antonyms for baseline

Examples of baseline in a Sentence

First Known Use of baseline

English Language Learners Definition of baseline

Medical Definition of baseline

baseline

Definition of baseline

Synonyms & Antonyms for baseline

Examples of baseline in a Sentence

First Known Use of baseline

English Language Learners Definition of baseline

Medical Definition of baseline

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