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
But beyond the flair factor, maps can provide a sense of scale that’s sometimes hard to grasp on the page. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026 Yet the scale and potential impact of the buildout are hard to ignore. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
Muso has built a collaborative healthcare model that reaches patients within 24 hours, for free — and now governments are scaling it themselves. — Big Think, 11 Aug. 2026 Further testing will determine how the technology performs under specific operating conditions and whether it can be scaled for broader commercial applications. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 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
  • Temporary federal aid, strong capital-gains years or accounting maneuvers can swell the cash balance.
    — Sheila Weinberg, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The shop retained and restored the frame, 3D scanned it, and crafted a specialty battery to fit, keeping weight and balance in mind.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of balance
Noun
  • Home-plate umpire Brennan Miller brushed dirt off the plate and looked at the ground as catcher Garrett Stubbs walked toward Nola, who seemed content to throw another pitch rather than take it all in.
    — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Riley worked a full count and then unloaded on a 3-2 splitter that caught too much of the plate.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of plate
Noun
  • Wednesday’s hierarchy openly predicted bumps in the road and one of them was felt on August 1, a week before the first competitive game of the new season.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But the shifts in employment wrought by AI are challenging enterprises to adapt to more dynamic teams, assessing people based on their skills rather than their place in a hierarchy, Black says.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of hierarchy
Noun
  • By combining observations of IRS 3's spectrum with simulations of how its light travels through different models of the surrounding material, researchers reconstructed the structure of the star's envelope.
    — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026
  • They were joined by Republicans, who showed the strongest monthly decline in sentiment across the political spectrum, according to the Michigan survey.
    — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of spectrum
Verb
  • Phil Buckingham Ipswich Town A more balanced and measured transfer approach has been undertaken by Ipswich this summer compared to their last campaign in the Premier League two years ago.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Opportunity costs can be measured in dollars, but don’t have to be.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of measure
Noun
  • Issues include elevated pH levels,and improper signage, filters and ladders.
    — Abby Dodge, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Most of the Winter Wolves don’t survive the assault on the castle wall, and those that climb the ladders are greeted with urns of hot oil.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of ladder
Noun
  • Compared to Chalamet, another leading man with great range but more naked ambition than Pattinson, the British star’s self-effacing personality comes across as more endearing, Weekman believes.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Understanding how cardiac neurons function could lead to new therapies for a range of cardiovascular conditions, such as atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and myocardial infarctions.
    — Isabella Backman, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of range
Verb
  • The Chicago school board voted to add two questions to the November ballot gauging whether city voters would support drumming up new revenue for Chicago Public Schools.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Blackmore contacted front man Ian Gillan to gauge his interest in such a reunion, something that wasn’t able to be accomplished at the band’s 2016 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
    — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 13 Aug. 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 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on scale

Nglish: Translation of scale for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scale

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