measure up

verb

measured up; measuring up; measures up

intransitive verb

1

: to have necessary or fitting qualifications

As a candidate for the job, he didn't measure up.

—often used with to

Her work didn't measure up to our expectations.

2

: to be the equal (as in ability)

Her early films were promising, but more recent ones haven't measured up.

—used with to

His recent novels haven't measured up to his earlier works.

Synonyms of measure up

• compare (with)
• approximate
• stack up (against or with)
• reflect
• approach
• hold a candle to
• match

Examples of measure up in a Sentence

he always worried about measuring up to his older brother

Recent Examples on the Web

None of these competitive threats can measure up to Vera Rubin, and while not Tinkertoys, they can only be considered substitutes for dumber tasks. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 21 Dec. 2025

Some measured up to 16 inches in diameter. —CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025

How does art school measure up to your expectations? —The Editors, Curbed, 15 Dec. 2025

Read on for our top picks, and see which ones didn’t quite measure up. —Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for measure up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

measure up

verb

1

: to have necessary or fitting qualifications

2

: to be the equal (as in ability)

—used with to