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

SoftBank says the pointing and receiving-tracking accuracy required for satellite laser ranging is roughly an order of magnitude higher than that used in conventional optical communication links. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026

In the meantime, Fudan University in Shanghai and its spin-out NeoteAI have already produced a tactile dataset an order of magnitude larger than previous efforts. — IEEE Spectrum, 10 Sep. 2026

The 1970s saw electronic detectors take over for photographic plates, increasing the detector sensitivity by an order of magnitude. — Don Figer, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026

This is only slightly more massive than the Sagittarius Dwarf galaxy (approximately 400 million solar masses), which the Milky Way is currently cannibalizing and an order of magnitude less massive than the Small Magellanic Cloud. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for order of magnitude

• verisimilitude
• accrued
• allude
• collude
• conclude
• construed
• debuted
• delude
• elude
• endued
• ensued
• eschewed