as in to measure
to determine the correct value of (something)
The age of the tree was calibrated from the carbon dating data.
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Recent Examples of calibrate
But this vulnerability is the reason that opioid dosing in newborns is so carefully calibrated and closely monitored in clinical settings—where the amounts administered directly are still orders of magnitude greater than what is transferred through breast milk.
—
Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Movable acoustic drapes and sound-absorbing panels will let the theater be calibrated to the best sound for various styles of performances.
—Heather McRea, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026
The main clock that was used in the study was a version that the team calibrated specifically for the Shark Bay dolphin population to measure regular changes in chemical markers on DNA that accumulate over the course of a lifetime.
—Hasmik Kirakosyan, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026
In calibrating that tonal balance, Watts looked to a reference point outside the world of horror movies.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for calibrate
Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Movable acoustic drapes and sound-absorbing panels will let the theater be calibrated to the best sound for various styles of performances.
—Heather McRea, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026
The main clock that was used in the study was a version that the team calibrated specifically for the Shark Bay dolphin population to measure regular changes in chemical markers on DNA that accumulate over the course of a lifetime.
—Hasmik Kirakosyan, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026
In calibrating that tonal balance, Watts looked to a reference point outside the world of horror movies.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for calibrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calibrate
Verb
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The property’s lot measures 4,640 square feet in area.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
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For now, expectations remain measured.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Previously limited to small, one-dimensional forms, time crystals can now be explored at larger scales thanks to IBM Quantum computers and innovative ways to combine quantum and classical computing resources.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
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That’s bad news for Chinese firms, which have been limited in their access to compute—the chips used to train and run AI models—since 2022, when the Biden administration restricted the export of the advanced manufacturing equipment used to produce the chips, and then the chips themselves in 2023.—
Nikita Ostrovsky,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While black holes represent the theory's most extreme manifestation, the same mathematics is essential for calculating the subtle but measurable time differences experienced by satellites orbiting Earth.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Surprised, the team performed a sanity check—the researchers calculated heritability in the traditional way for twins born between 1900 and 1935, an era when rapid medical advances steadily curtailed premature death.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Calibrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calibrate. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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