Performance Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

PERFORMANCE meaning: 1 : an activity (such as singing a song or acting in a play) that a person or group does to entertain an audience sometimes used ... TheBritannicaDictionary mobilesearch Home AsktheEditor WordoftheDay Quizzes CoreVocabulary BrowsetheDictionary × BritannicaHomepage AsktheEditor WordoftheDay Quizzes CoreVocabulary BrowsetheDictionary TheBritannicaDictionary performance 4ENTRIESFOUND: performance(noun) performanceart(noun) commandperformance(noun) highperformance(adjective) performance /pɚˈfoɚməns/ noun plural performances performance /pɚˈfoɚməns/ noun plural performances BritannicaDictionarydefinitionofPERFORMANCE 1  [count] a  : anactivity(suchassingingasongoractinginaplay)thatapersonorgroupdoestoentertainanaudience Thisevening'sperformancewillstartat8o'clock. Thehallisusuallyusedfororchestraperformances. [+]moreexamples [-]hideexamples [+]Examplesentences [-]Hideexamples —sometimesusedfiguratively Thattearfulapologywasquiteaperformance—Ialmostbelievedyoureallyweresorry. [+]moreexamples [-]hideexamples [+]Examplesentences [-]Hideexamples b  : thewayanactorperformsapartinaplay,movie,etc. Thecriticslovedherperformanceasthevillain. Shegaveabrilliantperformanceasthevillain.[=sheplayedtheroleofthevillainbrilliantly] [+]moreexamples [-]hideexamples [+]Examplesentences [-]Hideexamples 2  somewhatformal : theactofdoingajob,anactivity,etc. [noncount] theperformanceofprocedures/activities/duties [+]moreexamples [-]hideexamples [+]Examplesentences [-]Hideexamples [singular] Eventplannershopetoavoidarepeatperformanceoflastyear'sproblems.[=hopethatlastyear'sproblemswillnothappenagainthisyear] [+]moreexamples [-]hideexamples [+]Examplesentences [-]Hideexamples 3  : howwellsomeoneorsomethingfunctions,works,etc. : howwellsomeoneorsomethingperforms [count] Asupervisorwillevaluateeachemployee'sperformance. employeeswithstrongjobperformances astudent'sacademicperformance Theteam'sperformancelastnightwaspoor.[=theteamperformed/playedpoorlylastnight] Thiscarhadthebestoverallperformance.[=thiscarfunctionedbetterthanalltheothercars] Howhasthecompany'sstockperformancebeen?[=hasthevalueofthecompany'sstockbeenincreasing/decreasing?] [+]moreexamples [-]hideexamples [+]Examplesentences [-]Hideexamples [noncount] Shewasfiredforpoorjobperformance.[=shewasfiredfordoingherjobbadly] Employeesaregivenanannualperformanceassessment/evaluation. Thegasadditiveimprovesengineperformance. anincreasedlevelofperformance We'veintroducednewperformancelevels/standards. abicyclistwhowasdisqualifiedfortakingperformance-enhancingdrugs[=drugsthatimproveyourabilitytodosomething] [+]moreexamples [-]hideexamples [+]Examplesentences [-]Hideexamples — seealsohighperformance 4  [singular] British,informal : anactthatrequiresalotoftimeandeffort Gettingtotheairportturnedouttobearealperformance[=production]becauseofthebridgeconstruction. [+]moreexamples [-]hideexamples [+]Examplesentences [-]Hideexamples ASKTHEEDITOR Howdoyouuse"howmuch"and"howmany"? Seetheanswer» QUIZZES VocabularyQuiz Testyourwordpower TaketheQuiz» NameThatThing Takeourvisualquiz TestYourKnowledge» WORDOFTHEDAY ceramic :madeofclaythathasbeenheatedtoahightemperaturetohardenit LearnMore» AboutUs&LegalInfo PartnerProgram ContactUs PrivacyNotice TermsofUse PronunciationSymbols Help ©2022EncyclopædiaBritannica,Inc.