Measure — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈme-zhər/ mea·sure

Meaning & Definition of Measure

Measure (noun)

  1. an adequate or due portion
  2. a moderate degree; also, moderation, temperance
  3. a fixed or suitable limit, bounds

Measure (verb)

  1. to choose or control with cautious restraint, regulate
  2. to regulate by a standard, govern
  3. to allot or apportion in measured amounts

Measure (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result

    "such new security measures as metal detectors at all the entrances"

    similar: expedient, means, move, shift, step
    related: act, action, deed, doing, feat, thing, course, procedure, proceeding, process, accomplishment, achievement, attainment, coup, exploit, success, triumph, activity, affair, business, dealing, enterprise, event, attempt, crack, endeavor, essay, fling, go, initiative, operation, pass, shot, stab, trial, try, undertaking, whack, effort, exertion, labor, pains, trouble, while, work, project, proposal, proposition, makeshift, resort, resource, stopgap, countermeasure, countermove, counterstep

  2. a given or particular mass or aggregate of matter

    "each day prisoners were given only a small measure of rice to live on"

    similar: amount, quantity, quantum, volume
    related: coefficient, degree, body, portion, many, number

  3. something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared

    "during the Renaissance, man came to be viewed as the measure of all things"

    similar: bar, barometer, benchmark, criterion, gold standard, grade, mark, metric, par, standard, touchstone, yardstick
    related: case, example, instance, average, norm, rule, acme, apex, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, zenith
    near: aberration, abnormality, deviation

  4. the recurrent pattern formed by a series of sounds having a regular rise and fall in intensity

    "the song's soft, soothing measures make it a good lullaby"

    similar: beat, cadence, meter, rhythm
    related: accent, accentuation, emphasis, stress, backbeat, drum, throb, lilt, movement, sway, swing, hexameter, pentameter, tetrameter, trimeter

  5. the total amount of measurable space or surface occupied by something

    "a slipcover for the couch that was made to measure"

    similar: bulk, dimension, extent, magnitude, measurement, proportion, size
    related: area, capaciousness, commodiousness, roominess, spaciousness, ampleness, amplitude, bigness, bulkiness, enormousness, grandness, greatness, grossness, heftiness, hugeness, immenseness, immensity, largeness, mass, massiveness, monstrousness, stupendousness, tremendousness, vastness, volume, voluminousness

Measure (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to find out the size, extent, or amount of

    "for this experiment, you need to carefully measure all the chemicals before you mix them together"

    similar: gauge, scale, span
    related: weigh, calibrate, caliper, quantify, quantitate, lay off, mark (off), calculate, cipher, compute, figure, reckon, work out, appraise, assess, conjecture, estimate, evaluate, guess, guesstimate, judge, suppose, valuate, value, add up, sum, tally, total, ascertain, determine, discover, dope (out), figure out, find out

  2. to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)

    "he carefully measured his response to the provocative question"

    similar: bridle, check, constrain, contain, control, curb, govern, hold, inhibit, keep, pull in, regulate, rein (in), restrain, rule, tame
    related: bottle (up), choke (back), hold back, mince, muffle, pocket, repress, sink, smother, squelch, stifle, strangle, suppress, swallow, arrest, interrupt, stop, block, hamper, handcuff, hinder, impede, obstruct, gag, muzzle, silence
    opposite: lose
    near: liberate, loose, loosen, unleash, air, express, take out, vent

Related Entry: Measure up (to) (verb)

Measure up (to) is a different word from Measure. The synonyms below are for measure up (to), not for measure.

  1. to come near or nearer to in character or quality

    "he always worried about measuring up to his older brother"

    similar: approach, approximate, compare (with), stack up (against or with), hold a candle to
    related: add up (to), amount (to), come (to), duplicate, equal, match, mirror, parallel, reflect, border (on), touch (on), verge (on)

Related Entry: Measure (out) (verb)

Measure (out) is a different word from Measure. The synonyms below are for measure (out), not for measure.

  1. as in admeasure, dish out

    similar: admeasure, allot, allow, appropriate, assign, dish out, divide, divvy (up), dollop (out), lot, part, proportion, ration, redistribute, set, share (out), split, administer, allocate, apportion, deal (out), dispense, distribute, dole out, hand out, mete (out), parcel (out), portion, prorate, bestow, disburse, furnish, issue, provide, share, supply, circulate, disperse, disseminate, scatter, spread, chip in, contribute, donate, pledge, reallocate, reapportion
    opposite: misallocate, begrudge, decline, deny, deprive (of), disallow, refuse, reject, withhold, niggle (out), pinch, skimp, stint

Related Entry: Measure (up) (verb)

Measure (up) is a different word from Measure. The synonyms below are for measure (up), not for measure.

  1. as in meet, match

    similar: approach, match, meet, rival, touch, add up (to), amount (to), come (to), correspond (to), emulate, equal, connote, denote, express, import, mean, signify, smack (of), spell, suggest

Related Entry: For good measure (phrase)

For good measure is a different word from Measure. The synonyms below are for for good measure, not for measure.

  1. in addition to what has been said

    "Toss in an extra pinch of salt for good measure."

    similar: additionally, again, also, besides, either, further, furthermore, likewise, more, moreover, then, too, withal, yet, as well, in addition to, into the bargain, on top of, to boot, what's more

Related Entry: Made-to-measure (adjective)

Made-to-measure is a different word from Measure. The synonyms below are for made-to-measure, not for measure.

  1. as in custom-made, bespoke

    similar: bespoke, custom, customized, custom-made, custom-tailored, made-to-order, tailored, tailor-made, custom-built, handcrafted, handmade, particular, special, specialized
    opposite: mass-produced, ready-made

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Measure

The most common words with a similar meaning to Measure:

expedient, means, move, shift, step, amount, quantity, quantum, volume, bar, barometer, benchmark, criterion, gold standard, grade, mark, metric, par, standard, touchstone, yardstick, beat, cadence, meter, rhythm, bulk, dimension, extent, magnitude, measurement, proportion, size, gauge, scale, span, bridle, check, constrain, contain, control

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Measure

Words with the opposite meaning of Measure:

lose

Related Words for Measure

act, action, deed, doing, feat, thing, course, procedure, proceeding, process, accomplishment, achievement, attainment, coup, exploit, success, triumph, activity, affair, business, dealing, enterprise, event, attempt, crack, endeavor, essay, fling, go, initiative

Near Antonyms of Measure

aberration, abnormality, deviation, liberate, loose, loosen, unleash, air, express, take out, vent

Word Forms of Measure

Inflections: measured, measuring

Derived words: measurer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Measure

Middle English mesure "act of measuring, instrument for measuring, standard unit of quantity, size, measurable amount, proper proportion, moderation, temperance," borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Latin mensūra "act of measuring, dimension determined by measurement, amount, instrument for measuring," from mensus, past participle of mētior, mētīrī "to determine the extent of, mark off by measuring" + -ūra -ure; mētior verbal derivative of an Indo-European noun *meh1-ti- "act of measuring" (whence Old English mǣth "measure, degree, efficacy," Greek mêtis "measure, skill, craft," Sanskrit māti- "measure, correct understanding"), nominal derivative of a verbal base *meh1-, whence, as a reduplicated present, Sanskrit mímite "(s/he) measures, shares," Avestan framimaθā "(s/he) should arrange"

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Measure

Words & Phrases Containing Measure

measure up, measure off, measure out, apothecaries' measure, common measure, cubic measure, dry measure, for good measure

Frequently Asked Questions about Measure

What does "Measure" mean?

"Measure" means an adequate or due portion. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: an adequate or due portion. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Measure"?

Other words for "Measure" include expedient, means, move, shift, step, amount, quantity and quantum. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Measure" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Measure"?

There are 224 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Measure". Common alternatives include expedient, means, move, shift, step, amount, quantity, quantum, volume and bar.

What is the opposite of "Measure"?

Antonyms of "Measure" include lose. Near antonyms include aberration, abnormality, deviation and liberate.

How do you use "Measure" in a sentence?

Examples of "Measure" in a sentence: "such new security measures as metal detectors at all the entrances"; "each day prisoners were given only a small measure of rice to live on"; "during the Renaissance, man came to be viewed as the measure of all things".

Is "Measure" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Measure" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Measure" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Measure" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Measure"?

"Measure" is pronounced /ˈme-zhər/ and divided into syllables as mea·sure.