order of magnitude
noun phrase
: a range of magnitude extending from some value to ten times that value
—often used figuratively
The two problems are not of the same order of magnitude. [=are not equally important]
Examples of order of magnitude in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The worst-case scenario, that the AI boom is a bubble, just got an order of magnitude more severe.
—
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
This will enable passenger cars to increase in utility by roughly half an order of magnitude overnight with a software update.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 2 June 2026
The risks to humanity are of a different order of magnitude.
—Shlomit Wagman, Fortune, 30 May 2026
The bundle of 10,000 sodium atoms, about the size of a modern transistor gate, is an order of magnitude larger than previous records, but still significantly smaller than Erwin Schrödinger’s pet cat.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for order of magnitude
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Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
This will enable passenger cars to increase in utility by roughly half an order of magnitude overnight with a software update.
—Jack Ewing, New York Times, 2 June 2026
The risks to humanity are of a different order of magnitude.
—Shlomit Wagman, Fortune, 30 May 2026
The bundle of 10,000 sodium atoms, about the size of a modern transistor gate, is an order of magnitude larger than previous records, but still significantly smaller than Erwin Schrödinger’s pet cat.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for order of magnitude
Cite this Entry
“Order of magnitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/order%20of%20magnitude. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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