How to Use reference point in a Sentence

reference point

noun
Definition of reference pointnext
  • And so just to give you a reference point, the jobless rate was 3.7% in May.
    — Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 17 June 2023
  • When this album came out in ’02, this was the reference point for scene bands.
    — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 6 June 2023
  • To provide a common reference point, measure up 8 inches from the top of this row and stretch a string line across the deck.
    — Merle Henkenius, Popular Mechanics, 2 May 2023
  • Most wide-calf boots start around 16 inches as a reference point.
    — Annie O'Sullivan, goodhousekeeping.com, 10 June 2023
  • So that became a big reference point for the [season one] finale where the locals rise up against the Empire.
    — Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2023
  • The system is equipped with a camera and radar that track how far away an animal is by using the ground as a reference point.
    — Sophie Hartley, Ars Technica, 2 Apr. 2024
  • Early on, Gerwig used the Bee Gees and ’70s discos as a reference point for Ronson.
    — Maria Sherman, Fortune, 18 July 2023
  • The last frost date across the state varies by a few weeks, but as a handy reference point, Central Maryland tends to see its final frost around Mother’s Day.
    — Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 16 Mar. 2023
  • That’s because there is often no independent reference point when the plane is in the sky.
    — Sara Nelson, Discover Magazine, 29 Sep. 2023
  • This is actually the mean solar day, which uses the center of the sun’s disk as a reference point and is an average of every day of the year.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2024
  • Jacobs recommends starting from a reference point, which is the middle of the painting’s height.
    — Ryan Conner, Dallas News, 15 Mar. 2023
  • Some patients bring in a favorite lip liner or a photo, so Ueda showed her favorite lip gloss as a reference point.
    — Jacqueline Saguin, Good Housekeeping, 11 Apr. 2023
  • Even if the spending fight and a shutdown do hold risk for Republicans, Self had another reference point in mind.
    — Joseph Morton, Dallas News, 18 Sep. 2023
  • Archaeologists did not specify how tall the newfound tomb is but the roughly 30-foot-tall Queen’s Tomb next to it serves as a reference point.
    — Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2024
  • Having the books as a reference point encouraged Lautner to begin hitting the gym after filming the first movie, 2008's Twilight.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 13 Dec. 2023
  • While the causes of the decrease in coyotes are unknown, this data can be used as a reference point to find out how the permanent steel bollard border wall impacts wildlife.
    — Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 26 May 2023
  • The system also works with the Nest smart home family of tools, offering a reference point for people trying to locate a product in their home.
    — Chris Morris, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2024
  • For a reference point, check out Friday and Saturday’s losses.
    — Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 13 Aug. 2023
  • At least in the music industry, Ross is the reference point for glamor, beauty, elegance and boldness.
    — Jenni Moore | For The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 26 Jan. 2023
  • The central bank said Tuesday that its 1% cap on the 10-year Japanese government bond yield would now be considered a reference point, rather than a hard limit.
    — Anna Hirtenstein, WSJ, 31 Oct. 2023
  • While Cooper voices the talking raccoon, Gunn's actions served as a reference point so that visual effects artists know where Rocket is at all times.
    — Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 5 May 2023
  • But those who see a mostly centrist Spain use the same historical reference point for their argument.
    — Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 22 July 2023
  • But while this reference point is familiar to every Filipino, the dish itself was entirely new.
    — Chadner Navarro, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2024
  • Everyone knows that the book was loosely based on Fleetwood Mac, and so Lindsey Buckingham was the obvious reference point.
    — Evan Romano, Men's Health, 3 Mar. 2023
  • Many wine drinkers’ lone reference point for Beaujolais is the barely drinkable plonk that arrives on our shores around Thanksgiving every year.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 12 May 2024
  • Using Earth’s geologic history as a reference point will help determine what, if anything, could have lived on Mars in the past.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 July 2023
  • Phillies superstar Bryce Harper could be a reference point for Trevor Story's return timeline.
    — Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Mar. 2023
  • The latter reference point is particularly evident in the bespoke, durable, and recycled stainless steel hardware—like the elegant strap on the Nox clutch, which brings to mind a vintage watch band.
    — Freya Drohan, Vogue, 17 June 2024
  • That makes for an odd reference point for this kind of material: Malick’s cinema is nothing if not compassionate, while Asphalt City is mired in the misery of its milieu.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Mar. 2024
  • Despite the Trump administration’s suspect abandonment of the three percent rate, that number continues to be used as a reference point in some tax rules and policy proposals.
    — James H. Stock, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reference point.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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