commensurate

adjective

com·men·su·rate kə-ˈmen(t)s-rət

-ˈmen(t)sh-;

-ˈmen(t)-sə-,

-shə-

Synonyms of commensurate next

: corresponding in size, extent, amount, or degree : proportionate

was given a job commensurate with her abilities

: equal in measure or extent : coextensive

lived a life commensurate with the early years of the republic

: commensurable sense 1

commensurately adverb

commensuration

kə-ˌmen(t)-sə-ˈrā-shən

-shə-

noun

Example Sentences

Because the effects of tobacco are slow—and iterative—and produce diseases that have other causes and explanations, often later in life, they seldom arouse fear commensurate with their impact. —

Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, (2007) 2009 The last of the string family, the double bass, is the largest of all and must be played standing. Because it is seen in jazz bands, it has recently taken on an importance more nearly commensurate with its size. —

Aaron Copland, What to Listen for in Music, (1957) 1988 … athletes are rewarded commensurate with their fame, not their intrinsic talent … —

Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 21 Dec. 1987 I find it interesting that the meanest life, the poorest existence, is attributed to God's will, but as human beings become more affluent, as their living standard and style begin to ascend the material scale, God descends the scale of responsibility at a commensurate speed. —

Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969 Her new position came with a commensurate level of responsibility. was given a job commensurate with her abilities and experience See More

Recent Examples on the Web That’s commensurate with the 107.6 degrees (42 Celsius) predictions put forth by Météo-France, the country’s weather service. —

Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 15 July 2022 My thoughts aren’t commensurate with the experience of living with and in it, certainly not immediately. —

New York Times, 7 Aug. 2022 Pay will be commensurate with experience, the county said. —

Kaitlin Durbin, cleveland, 14 Dec. 2022 The Times noted in his obituary — no small feat, considering a million dollars in 1927 would be commensurate with almost $17 million today. —

Matthew Shaer, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2022 My philosophy is to eat clean and make sure that my diet is commensurate with my goals, which stay consistent throughout the year. —

Ben Court, Men's Health, 16 Nov. 2022 Over the last decade, investors in biotech and pharmaceutical companies have been taking risks that aren’t commensurate with the rewards. —

Anup Srivastava, STAT, 16 Nov. 2022 The limits are adjusted annually to be commensurate with the cost of living, according to the Department of Agriculture. —

Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2022 The big unanswered question, experts say, is whether the rise in cases that is already well underway will be followed by a commensurate rise in hospitalizations and deaths. —

New York Times, 18 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'commensurate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin commensuratus, from Latin com- + Late Latin mensuratus, past participle of mensurare to measure, from Latin mensura measure — more at measure

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler

The first known use of commensurate was in 1641

See more words from the same year