Synonyms of scales

scales 1 of 4

noun (1)

plural of scale

as in balances

a device for measuring weight

I hate getting on the bathroom scale

Synonyms & Similar Words

• balances
• gravimeters

scales

2 of 4

noun (2)

plural of scale

as in plates

a small thin piece of material that resembles an animal scale

scales of mica were embedded in the granite

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plates
• sheets
• lamellae
• chips
• laminae
• slivers
• flakes
• slices
• leaves
• splinters
• splints

scales

3 of 4

noun (3)

plural of scale

1

as in hierarchies

a scheme of rank or order

a student who scored very highly on a standard intelligence scale

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hierarchies
• ladders
• rankings
• series
• graduations
• orderings
• levels
• sequences
• arrays
• distributions
• food chains
• degrees
• setups
• situations
• arrangements
• stations
• positions
• disposals
• reaches
• footings
• dispositions
• places
• pecking orders
• statuses
• rungs
• spots
• standings
• echelons

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

• ranges
• spectra
• diapasons
• widths
• stretches
• gamuts
• dimensions
• spreads
• measures
• scopes
• amplitudes
• pitches
• realms
• reaches
• sweeps
• extents
• compasses
• ambits

scales

4 of 4

verb

present tense third-person singular of scale

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

• measures
• gauges
• weighs
• spans
• assesses
• estimates
• judges
• computes
• ascertains
• figures
• calibrates
• evaluates
• calipers
• values
• quantifies
• sums
• calculates
• marks (off)
• determines
• quantitates
• tallies
• appraises
• totals
• figures out
• lays off
• guesses
• finds out
• adds up
• works out
• ciphers
• conjectures
• valuates
• guesstimates
• discovers
• supposes
• reckons
• dopes (out)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scales

Noun

Usually, the areas are moist and shiny, not with the whitish scales seen in plaque psoriasis. — Ruth Jessen Hickman, HEALTH, 25 Aug. 2026

Catalyst replacement and maintenance can add significantly to operating costs, particularly as electrolyzers are deployed at larger scales and connected to renewable energy sources that can introduce fluctuating operating conditions. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026

Earlier in training camp, Falcons quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt previously said the team had to evaluate Penix and Tua Tagovailoa on different scales. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Hernandez and Rodrigues stepped off the scales on Friday’s weigh-in at Golden 1 Center at a hair under 185 pounds each. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026

The ivory swimsuit was decorated with fishnet fabric and dainty sequins reminiscent of scales. — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 20 Aug. 2026

Indirect signs also suggest the proto-Neolithic community also dined on the European glass lizard (Pseudopus apodus), which featured tough scales that necessitated a completely different type of butchering. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2026

The results showed that the collagen fibrils and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles orient themselves along the tusk’s longitudinal axis, so there is a consistently high degree of anisotropy at all scales. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026

Authorities said equipment found at the ADU included hydraulic presses, cutting agents, personal protective equipment, scales and Narcan, a medication used to counteract the effects of opioids. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026

Verb

Adoption scales more sustainably when people learn supervision, not just operation, of the tool. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Rather than reinventing that formula, the Max 4 scales it up dramatically for users printing items ranging from large cosplay parts to functional prototypes to industrial-style engineering components. — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2026

Circle Garden Chives frame the quadrants of this circle garden, and a clematis scales the central trellis. — Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 12 Aug. 2026

The stormy painting conjures the first moments of In the Hand of Dante, as the titular character, portrayed by Oscar Isaac, scales perilously steep steps to what seems an impenetrable stronghold. — A.d. Amorosi, SPIN, 6 Aug. 2026

After desecrating the statue, the vandal returns the hammer to his pocket, scales the fence and flees into the night, the footage shows. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026

By distilling commander’s intent through intuitive, natural language commands, Anura scales the Soldier-to-robot ratio, reduces cognitive burden, accelerates training timelines, and enables heads-up, hands-free operation. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026

When planning is coordinated, investment becomes more efficient, projects move faster and innovation scales more quickly. — Andreas Schierenbeck, Fortune, 27 July 2026