best practice

American  

noun

Chiefly Business.

1. Often best practices a procedure or set of procedures that is preferred or considered standard within an organization, industry, etc..

   The company adopted best practice in employee recruitment.

   At the meeting we reviewed best practices for communicating with clients.

   Their methodology was identified as a best practice.

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best practice British  

noun

1. the recognized methods of correctly running businesses or providing services

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Etymology

Origin of best practice

First recorded in 1980–85; derived from an earlier (1905) sense “the best method, procedure, etc.”

Example Sentences

The best practice is to add between 5% and 10% to your budget as a buffer to protect against price spikes and emergency expenses.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 24, 2025

During a practice, Cousins explains that Celine Dion provided the soundtrack of his youth, promising a coach that “If you play Celine Dion ‘I Drove All Night,’ I’ll have the best practice I’ve ever had.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

What she did not know was that FNA tests are not considered best practice for breast biopsies, because they can produce inadequate samples, and lead to the risk of missed, incomplete or delayed diagnoses.

From BBC • Nov. 28, 2025

Minding your own business is generally considered morally righteous, and also a best practice, to make life easier for everyone.

From Salon • Aug. 1, 2025

The best practice for transposing is to transpose a piece you know well into a new key.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones