performance

4 ENTRIES FOUND:

performance /pɚˈfoɚməns/ noun

plural performances

performance

/pɚˈfoɚməns/

noun

plural performances

Britannica Dictionary definition of PERFORMANCE

[count]

a : an activity (such as singing a song or acting in a play) that a person or group does to entertain an audience

— sometimes used figuratively

That tearful apology was quite a performance—I almost believed you really were sorry.

b : the way an actor performs a part in a play, movie, etc.

The critics loved her performance as the villain.
She gave a brilliant performance as the villain. [=she played the role of the villain brilliantly]

somewhat formal : the act of doing a job, an activity, etc.

[noncount]

[singular]

Event planners hope to avoid a repeat performance of last year's problems. [=hope that last year's problems will not happen again this year]

: how well someone or something functions, works, etc. : how well someone or something performs

[count]

A supervisor will evaluate each employee's performance.
employees with strong job performances
a student's academic performance
The team's performance last night was poor. [=the team performed/played poorly last night]
This car had the best overall performance. [=this car functioned better than all the other cars]
How has the company's stock performance been? [=has the value of the company's stock been increasing/decreasing?]

[noncount]

She was fired for poor job performance. [=she was fired for doing her job badly]
Employees are given an annual performance assessment/evaluation.
The gas additive improves engine performance.
an increased level of performance
We've introduced new performance levels/standards.
a bicyclist who was disqualified for taking performance-enhancing drugs [=drugs that improve your ability to do something]