reference point
Americannoun
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something used as a comparison to aid in evaluation or understanding.
-
a particular physical location used to navigate an area or find an object.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said the late streetwear designer Virgil Abloh was a reference point for the new collection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The “standard” anatomy shown in textbooks is therefore best understood not as a universal blueprint, but as a simplified reference point within a wide biological range.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 2026
Using your cellphone, take photos of the newspaper kite design on the L1 cover and on pages L6-7 and L10 before you start cutting so you have a reference point.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2026
That gives us a starting reference point for the company’s worth.
From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026
There was no easy reference point for my decision to pursue sport.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
