scale 1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈskāl How to pronounce scale (audio)
Definition of scalenext
as in balance
a device for measuring weight I hate getting on the bathroom scale

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scale

2 of 4

noun (2)

as in plate
a small thin piece of material that resembles an animal scale scales of mica were embedded in the granite

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scale

3 of 4

noun (3)

1
as in hierarchy
a scheme of rank or order a student who scored very highly on a standard intelligence scale

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2
as in spectrum
the distance or extent between possible extremes with the scale going from one to ten, what did you think of the movie?

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scale

4 of 4

verb

as in to measure
to find out the size, extent, or amount of scaled the logs to get a rough idea of the amount of usable lumber they were likely to yield

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scale
Noun
The Academy cited YouTube’s global scale as a reason for the move, reflecting the increasingly international focus of the organization. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 The fourth and last phase is commercial production at scale, whether at Ultium Cells or other high-volume plants. — John Voelcker, The Verge, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
The base was scaled back after the end of the Cold War and now mostly handles the refueling of trans-Atlantic military flights. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 Matt co-founded DraftKings and scaled it into one of the biggest names in sports entertainment. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scale
  1. balance
  2. plate
  3. hierarchy
  4. spectrum
  5. measure
  6. ladder
  7. range
  8. gauge
Noun
  • Future retirees should consider everything from income, expenses and retirement-account balances to Social Security, health insurance and tax costs, at 65 and 67.
    — John Csiszar, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The goal is not to abandon one home for another, but to explore whether a balance between two industry bases is possible.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of balance
Noun
  • As with all examples, Dufour’s signature and the serial number are engraved onto solid gold plates that are embedded directly into the movement’s bridges.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The museum is home to much of Picasso’s ceramic work—I was particularly charmed by a wall of plates—as well as paintings and sketches dedicated to Greek mythology.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of plate
Noun
  • Most major mergers are consummated after executives have dedicated months to quietly drafting detailed operational plans and organizational hierarchies.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Whatever the old hierarchy promised, Cheval Blanc Courchevel intended to outdo it.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of hierarchy
Noun
  • When a pair of Israeli filmmakers released a documentary last month about civilian deaths in Gaza, party leaders across the spectrum, including Eisenkot, accused them of treason.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Michigan voters, who also will be electing their first new governor in eight years, will be in attendance from across the political spectrum.
    — Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of spectrum
Verb
  • LEDs send light through the fibers, while sensors at their opposite ends measure the output.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Sitting in a talk at a local conference, Carleton learned about circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), which cancer cells release into the bloodstream and can be measured to survey tumor growth.
    — Allessandra DiCorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of measure
Noun
  • On a recent Saturday, Sawitskas hopped on a ladder to analyze the condition of the mechanisms that raise and lower the horses and started poring over carousel history books to match the horses with their original paint colors.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The loss is felt at the very first rung of the corporate ladder.
    — Anna Maria Chavez, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of ladder
Noun
  • Coccinelle, set up by Francesca Breccia, sells independent titles on the international circuit, pairing films and their rights owners with buyers and distributors in a range of territories.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Trivariate Research shows with this chart that only 34% of large-cap stocks have beaten the S&P 500 over the past 12 months, near the low end of the historical range for this metric.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of range
Verb
  • What might sound like silly logic has become one of the most reliable ways for Southerners — and even federal officials — to gauge a storm’s severity and identify communities most in need of immediate aid.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Krenwinkel was granted parole on a preliminary basis Tuesday at her 18th hearing to gauge her suitability for parole, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of gauge

Browse Nearby Words

scalds
scale
scaled
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Cite this Entry

“Scale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scale. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on scale

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scale

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