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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Relevance

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
There are limits to this model, however Replicating this success at scale won’t be easy, said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for Rentrak. — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 China pursues industrial policy at much greater scale and with more direct state authority. — Nili Gilbert, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Verb
With no way to lure large numbers of LLMs to a malicious site, these sorts of attacks don’t scale either. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026 The commercial transaction formalizes a technical relationship established in late 2025, during which engineering teams from both companies evaluated how Adelphi’s systems could scale to meet the operational demands of commercial nuclear platforms. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 8 July 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
  • The space is a balance between tropical escape and late-night lounge, with moody lighting, sexy design elements and music that keeps the energy elevated throughout the evening.
    — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • From entry-level IEMs to high-end studio headphones, the system is designed to enhance clarity, balance and translation across almost every listening system, unlocking their full potential for accurate, consistent monitoring.
    — Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of balance
Noun
  • After Manny Machado made an out on a foul ball behind the plate, Gavin Sheets walked to bring in a run and France followed with a sacrifice fly before Jake Cronenworth flied out to end the inning.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
  • Then, Carroll grounded into a fielder’s choice in front of the plate and reached first safely, with an errant throw by Rushing allowing Perdomo to reach third.
    — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of plate
Noun
  • The idea of rapid career acceleration, equity and a dynamic culture can be more appealing than the hierarchies of corporate America.
    — Vikram Joshi, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • That hierarchy means performance depends more on charging access during dwell time than the multi-source framing might suggest even if that access requires only a standard industrial outlet.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2026
Definition of hierarchy
Noun
  • Beyond spectrum, the same scarcity governs orbital slots, which are handed out first-come, first-served, so the biggest constellations race to file before rivals can.
    — Charlotte Kiang, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
  • These cells can harvest far more sunlight than silicon panels by stacking three different perovskite absorbers, with each layer tuned to capture a different band gap in the solar spectrum.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Definition of spectrum
Verb
  • Calcium score testing measures the amount of calcific plaque in the arteries around the heart, also called the coronary arteries.
    — Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 10 July 2026
  • Thirty-eight participants completed the study while researchers measured EEG brain activity, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV) and perceived stress.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of measure
Noun
  • Attendants, some on the ladders of fire trucks, misted water across the crowds to cool them in the heat.
    — Nasser Karimi, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The journey climbing the ladder and becoming a respected manager is akin to training for elite competition, Nooyi added.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 6 July 2026
Definition of ladder
Noun
  • Acuf was happy with the win but unsatisfied with his performance after going 6 of 20 from the field and 3 of 9 from 3-point range with four turnovers.
    — Jason Anderson July 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
  • In addition to spacious living and dining rooms, there are a semicircular media lounge, a family room, and a 35-foot-long eat-in kitchen with two ranges, two sinks, and two refrigerators.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 9 July 2026
Definition of range
Verb
  • The Padres can at least use this month to gauge his value and, barring a proposal too good to decline, reassess things in the offseason.
    — Dennis Lin, New York Times, 9 July 2026
  • Assessed values are just one of multiple metrics that can be used to gauge how much a property is worth.
    — George Avalos, Mercury News, 8 July 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 12 Jul. 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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