as in balances
a device for measuring weight
I hate getting on the bathroom scale
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in hierarchies
a scheme of rank or order
a student who scored very highly on a standard intelligence scale
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in ranges
the distance or extent between possible extremes
with the scale going from one to ten, what did you think of the movie?
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in measures
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scales
Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2026
Soft Scale Soft scales have a soft waxy coating that is fused to the insect body.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 15 Feb. 2026
Such fibers could be used in synthetic muscles for microrobots, in microelectromechanical systems, or in devices that need to move or grip objects at extremely small scales.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
And there are a few other factors tipping the scales in favor of Epstein’s associates.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2026
Below-average snowpack can impact water supplies, ecosystems and wildfire risk, though late winter storms could tip the scales.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 14 Feb. 2026
The central element of Zurek’s approach is the phenomenon called quantum entanglement, another of the nonintuitive things that happen at quantum scales.
—Quanta Magazine, 13 Feb. 2026
Still, its star Denis Leary is well liked within Fox, which could tip the scales in the show’s favor, along with the network’s scheduling needs.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 12 Feb. 2026
Trump has already tried to tip the scales in one significant baseball matter, publicly chiding Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball’s commissioner, in the process.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
The simulations relied on direct numerical simulation, a method that resolves all relevant turbulence scales without using modeling assumptions.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
This recipe borrows that same concept and scales it up to a Bundt pan size.
—Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The bill scales with every token generated.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Skip cluttered wall art, freestanding toilet paper holders, and scales to keep your bathroom sleek.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 19 Jan. 2026
But Meta is set to announce layoffs this week in the company’s Reality Labs business, according to reporting by The New York Times, as the company scales back its metaverse unit.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
In this role, Klingenberg will lead CFY’s engineering and data science teams as the company scales.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
Cue the Mayhem Ball, the pop star’s eighth concert tour, where Lady Gaga rises from a sand pit populated with skeletons, scales up a dress the size of a multi-story apartment building, and unravels the longest gown train a bride could ever dream of.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
Other patterns and motifs, at varying scales, were then used to accentuate the main selection.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2026
Soft Scale Soft scales have a soft waxy coating that is fused to the insect body.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 15 Feb. 2026
Such fibers could be used in synthetic muscles for microrobots, in microelectromechanical systems, or in devices that need to move or grip objects at extremely small scales.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
And there are a few other factors tipping the scales in favor of Epstein’s associates.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2026
Below-average snowpack can impact water supplies, ecosystems and wildfire risk, though late winter storms could tip the scales.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 14 Feb. 2026
The central element of Zurek’s approach is the phenomenon called quantum entanglement, another of the nonintuitive things that happen at quantum scales.
—Quanta Magazine, 13 Feb. 2026
Still, its star Denis Leary is well liked within Fox, which could tip the scales in the show’s favor, along with the network’s scheduling needs.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 12 Feb. 2026
Trump has already tried to tip the scales in one significant baseball matter, publicly chiding Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball’s commissioner, in the process.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
Young boys cleaned test tubes, brawny machinists built gauges and mills, and scales delicate enough to weigh an inch of a spider's web.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
The simulations relied on direct numerical simulation, a method that resolves all relevant turbulence scales without using modeling assumptions.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
This recipe borrows that same concept and scales it up to a Bundt pan size.
—Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The bill scales with every token generated.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Skip cluttered wall art, freestanding toilet paper holders, and scales to keep your bathroom sleek.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 19 Jan. 2026
But Meta is set to announce layoffs this week in the company’s Reality Labs business, according to reporting by The New York Times, as the company scales back its metaverse unit.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
In this role, Klingenberg will lead CFY’s engineering and data science teams as the company scales.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
Cue the Mayhem Ball, the pop star’s eighth concert tour, where Lady Gaga rises from a sand pit populated with skeletons, scales up a dress the size of a multi-story apartment building, and unravels the longest gown train a bride could ever dream of.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scales
Verb
-
Epipedobates anthonyi, known as Anthony’s poison arrow frog, typically measures 22 mm long.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Since early 2020, cumulative CPI inflation, which measures an array of goods and services including food and gas, has risen roughly 26%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.—
Gili Malinsky,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At Starbucks stores, the company revised the dress code for baristas, suggesting employees wear solid black tops and remove ear gauges larger than a quarter.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The research firm's Secondhand Pricing Tracker gauges the resale premium — or the auction sale price of a bag compared to its original retail price — and is weighted by volume.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
16 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scales. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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