as in balance
a device for measuring weight
I hate getting on the bathroom scale
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Relevance
1
as in hierarchy
a scheme of rank or order
a student who scored very highly on a standard intelligence scale
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to measure
to find out the size, extent, or amount of
scaled the logs to get a rough idea of the amount of usable lumber they were likely to yield
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Examples of scale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Max G. Levy, WIRED, 27 Oct. 2024
This Peacock necklace embodies those attributes but on an even grander technical scale than the late jeweler could have achieved in his era.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024
The invasive species is wreaking havoc on South Florida's ecosystem.
2:43
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The scale at which the Burmese python is able to decimate the native wildlife population in South Florida continues to astonish biologists studying to eradicate the invasive species.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2024
Featuring characters named for Greek musical scales, the composition traces his own journey from Staten Island project housing to performing at concert halls.
—Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scale 
Noun
At an unfathomably small scale, Ortega-Jiménez’s toy buzzes with an imbalance: A motor draws negative charges inward, forcing positive charges to the wand’s surface.
—Max G. Levy, WIRED, 27 Oct. 2024
This Peacock necklace embodies those attributes but on an even grander technical scale than the late jeweler could have achieved in his era.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024
The invasive species is wreaking havoc on South Florida's ecosystem.
2:43
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The scale at which the Burmese python is able to decimate the native wildlife population in South Florida continues to astonish biologists studying to eradicate the invasive species.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2024
Featuring characters named for Greek musical scales, the composition traces his own journey from Staten Island project housing to performing at concert halls.
—Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scale
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Thesaurus Entries Near scale
Cite this Entry
“Scale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scale. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
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