library(microbenchmark) f1 <- function(x) return(x) f2 <- function(x, ...) return(x) f3 <- function(x, ...) { args <- list(...) x } a <- runif(100000) microbenchmark( f1(3), f1(x = 3), f2(x = 3), f2(x = 3, y=a), f2(x = 3, y=mean(a), z=cos(a), yy=mean(cos(a)), zz = mean(sin(a))), f3(x = 3, y=mean(a), z=cos(a), yy=mean(cos(a)), zz = mean(sin(a))) )