commensurate

adjective

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com·men·su·rate | \ kə-ˈmen(t)s-rət

, -ˈmen(t)sh-; -ˈmen(t)-sə-, -shə- \

Definition of commensurate

1 : corresponding in size, extent, amount, or degree : proportionate was given a job commensurate with her abilities

2 : equal in measure or extent : coextensive lived a life commensurate with the early years of the republic

3 : commensurable sense 1

Other Words from commensurate Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about commensurate

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Did You Know?

Commensurate is a word that really measures up. And no wonder - it's a descendant of the Latin noun mensura, meaning "measure," from "mensus," past participle of "metiri" ("to measure"). In the first recorded use of "commensurate," which comes from 1641, the adjective was used as a synonym of "coextensive." It didn't take long for "commensurate" to be used to mean "proportionate" as well. Henry James used this sense in The American when he wrote, "The stakes were high and the risk was great; the prize therefore must have been commensurate."

Examples of commensurate in a Sentence

Because the effects of tobacco are slow—and iterative—and produce diseases that have other causes and explanations, often later in life, they seldom arouse fear commensurate with their impact. — Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, (2007) 2009 The last of the string family, the double bass, is the largest of all and must be played standing. Because it is seen in jazz bands, it has recently taken on an importance more nearly commensurate with its size. — Aaron Copland, What to Listen for in Music, (1957) 1988 I find it interesting that the meanest life, the poorest existence, is attributed to God's will, but as human beings become more affluent, as their living standard and style begin to ascend the material scale, God descends the scale of responsibility at a commensurate speed. — Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969 … athletes are rewarded commensurate with their fame, not their intrinsic talent … — Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 21 Dec. l987 Her new position came with a commensurate level of responsibility. was given a job commensurate with her abilities and experience

Recent Examples on the Web This year, however, there was a visual restraint, commensurate with our politically fraught times. — George Mccalman, SFChronicle.com, "San Francisco Public Library’s Night of Ideas lights up the city," 25 Feb. 2020 Dunleavy cut from the court budget an amount the administration said was commensurate to state funding for abortions. — CBS News, "Election official rejects attempt to recall Alaska's governor," 5 Nov. 2019 Health scholars have long pointed out that the funding of WHO is not commensurate with the global role it is supposed to play. — Jon Cohen, Science | AAAS, "Trump freezes U.S. funding for WHO as the world fights pandemic," 14 Apr. 2020 Its build quality and interior materials are commensurate with its price. — Rich Ceppos, Car and Driver, "2020 Maserati Ghibli S Q4 GranSport Is a Luxury Sedan in a Racing Suit," 9 Apr. 2020 Today, with hip-hop having surpassed rock as the most popular music genre, its independent media tastemakers have experienced a commensurate rise in popularity. — Jeff Weiss, latimes.com, "How Instagram and YouTube help underground hip-hop artists and tastemakers find huge audiences," 4 July 2018 The majority of damage elsewhere was found to be in the EF2 to EF3 range, commensurate with winds between 111 and 165 mph. — Matthew Cappucci, Anchorage Daily News, "2-mile wide Mississippi tornado, state’s largest on record, carved a 67-mile path," 16 Apr. 2020 Remaining employees, including Gilbert, will work reduced hours and take a commensurate reduction in pay. — Susan Glaser, cleveland, "Destination Cleveland furloughs 60% of staff, as bed tax revenue plummets," 27 Mar. 2020 As such, the regulations will not be limited to protecting U.S. defense and aerospace capabilities and commensurate supply chains, but also America’s technological edge, critical infrastructure, and sensitive data. — Mira R. Ricardel, Fortune, "These new rules might end tech’s reliance on Chinese investors," 20 Jan. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'commensurate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.