best practice: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2 / HighFormal, Professional, Technical
Quick answer
What does “best practice” mean?
A procedure or set of procedures that is officially accepted as being the most effective and reliable way to achieve a desired result, especially in business or a profession.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A procedure or set of procedures that is officially accepted as being the most effective and reliable way to achieve a desired result, especially in business or a profession.
An established, superior method or technique that serves as a benchmark or standard to be followed, derived from collective experience and evidence of success. It is often codified in guidelines to ensure quality and consistency.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or core usage. Slight preference in British English for the hyphenated form 'best-practice' when used attributively (e.g., best-practice guidelines).
Connotations
In both varieties, it connotes professionalism, efficiency, and compliance with industry standards. It can sometimes have a negative connotation of corporate jargon or box-ticking.
Frequency
Equally frequent and essential in professional contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “best practice” in a Sentence
[Verb] + best practice: adopt, follow, implement, define, establish, shareBest practice + [Verb]: evolves, dictates, recommends, suggests, requiresBest practice + [Preposition] + [NP]: in software development, for data security, on patient careVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “best practice” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A - 'best practice' is not a verb. One might 'best-practise' but this is non-standard and highly unusual.
American English
- N/A - 'best practice' is not a verb. One might 'best-practice' but this is non-standard and highly unusual.
adverb
British English
- N/A - 'best practice' is not used as an adverb.
American English
- N/A - 'best practice' is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The agency published a new best-practice guide for local councils.
- We are conducting a best-practice review of our procedures.
American English
- The firm is known for its best practice standards in engineering.
- Attending the conference is a best practice for staying current in the field.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The audit ensured the company's financial reporting adhered to accounting best practices.
Academic
The paper reviews pedagogical best practices for online learning environments.
Everyday
For storing passwords, the best practice is to use a dedicated password manager. (Everyday tech context)
Technical
In software development, continuous integration is considered a best practice for maintaining code quality.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “best practice”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “best practice”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “best practice”
- Using it as an adjective without a noun (Incorrect: 'This method is very best practice.' Correct: 'This method represents best practice.' or 'This is a best-practice method.')
- Using 'a' or 'the' incorrectly with the uncountable form (Incorrect: 'We need to find a best practice.' Correct: 'We need to establish best practice.' or 'We need to find a best-practice solution.')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. As a general concept, it's uncountable ('follow best practice'). When referring to multiple specific procedures, it's countable ('the report lists ten best practices').
'Best practice' implies it is the single, most effective method known. 'Good practice' is a high-quality method, but not necessarily the top one. 'Best practice' is stronger and more prescriptive.
It is primarily a professional/technical term. In everyday talk, simpler phrases like 'the best way', 'the right method', or 'what works best' are more natural, unless discussing a specific topic like tech or health advice.
Usually not when used as a noun ('learn about best practice'). Hyphenation is common when it functions as a compound modifier before a noun ('best-practice guidelines'). Style guides may vary.
A procedure or set of procedures that is officially accepted as being the most effective and reliable way to achieve a desired result, especially in business or a profession.
Best practice is usually formal, professional, technical in register.
Best practice: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbest ˈpræk.tɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbest ˈpræk.tɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Set the gold standard (related concept)”
- “The industry standard (related concept)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'practice' session for a sports team. The 'best practice' is the drill that has been proven, over time, to make the team win most consistently. It's the champion's routine.
Conceptual Metaphor
BEST IS A PATH/GUIDE (e.g., 'follow best practice', 'deviate from best practice'), BEST IS A STANDARD/MEASURE (e.g., 'benchmark of best practice', 'gold standard').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'best practice' used CORRECTLY?