calibrate
verb
cal·i·brate
ˈka-lə-ˌbrāt 
calibrated; calibrating
1
: to ascertain the caliber of (something)
2
: to determine, rectify, or mark the graduations of (something, such as a thermometer tube)
3
: to standardize (something, such as a measuring instrument) by determining the deviation from a standard so as to ascertain the proper correction factors
4
: to adjust precisely for a particular function
calibrate a thermometer
5
: to measure precisely
carefully calibrate the dosage of a medicine
especially
: to measure against a standard
Examples of calibrate in a Sentence
carefully calibrate the dosage of a medicine
Recent Examples on the Web
Its system includes true wireless up-firing rear speakers that use AI to calibrate to your specific room, no receiver or messy wires needed.
—
Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026
Wind tunnel engineers also set up and calibrate the equipment housed in the tunnel to measure the forces acting on the model, as well as dig into the data clocked in such tests.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Gajjar and Brown calibrated how fluctuations in the solar wind and bursts from CMEs can affect narrowband signals, and averaged that over time.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Although discrepancies are smaller in data-rich regions such as Western Europe and the eastern United States, where robust local monitoring has kept projections more closely calibrated, the study identifies the West Coast of North America as a region where sea levels have also been underestimated.
—Marcos Magaña, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for calibrate
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Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026
Wind tunnel engineers also set up and calibrate the equipment housed in the tunnel to measure the forces acting on the model, as well as dig into the data clocked in such tests.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Gajjar and Brown calibrated how fluctuations in the solar wind and bursts from CMEs can affect narrowband signals, and averaged that over time.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Although discrepancies are smaller in data-rich regions such as Western Europe and the eastern United States, where robust local monitoring has kept projections more closely calibrated, the study identifies the West Coast of North America as a region where sea levels have also been underestimated.
—Marcos Magaña, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for calibrate
Cite this Entry
“Calibrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calibrate. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
calibrate
verb
cal·i·brate
ˈkal-ə-ˌbrāt
calibrated; calibrating
1
: to measure the caliber of
2
a
: to determine, correct, or put the measuring marks on (as a tire pressure gauge)
b
: make standard (as a measuring instrument) by finding out and correcting for the differences from an accepted or ideal value
calibration
noun
ˌkal-ə-ˈbrā-shən
Medical Definition
calibrate
transitive verb
cal·i·brate
ˈkal-ə-ˌbrāt
calibrated; calibrating
1
: to ascertain the caliber of (as a thermometer tube)
2
: to determine, rectify, or mark the graduations of (as a thermometer tube)
3
: to standardize (as a measuring instrument) by determining the deviation from a standard so as to ascertain the proper correction factors
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