performance
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the act of acting, singing, or dancing for an audience.
a public presentation of a play, concert, or other form of entertainment.
Simple“The actors gave a wonderful performance that the audience loved.”
In context“The final performance of the season was met with a standing ovation from the critics and the public alike.”
Synonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
how well a person, machine, or company does a piece of work.
the quality or effectiveness with which a task or operation is executed.
Simple“His performance at work has improved a lot over the last month.”
In context“The manager conducted a thorough review of the team's performance to identify areas where technical efficiency could be improved.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
the speed or power of a machine or computer.
the capabilities of a machine, vehicle, or electronic system, often measured against specific benchmarks.
Simple“This new software will improve the performance of your computer.”
In context“Engineers are working to optimise the performance of the new engine to ensure it meets strict environmental standards without losing power.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
the way people actually use language when they speak, which might include mistakes.
the actual production and comprehension of language in real-world instances, contrasted with theoretical competence.
Simple“In real life, a speaker's performance is often affected by tiredness or stress.”
In context“Chomsky distinguished between linguistic competence, the idealised knowledge of rules, and performance, the actual use of language in concrete situations.”
UsageOften contrasted with 'competence' in linguistic theory.
Antonyms
Usage achieve performance · actual performance · affect performance
From Middle English parfourmaunce; equivalent to perform + -ance.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.