the metric system

noun

: a system of weights and measures that is based on the meter and on the kilogram

Examples of the metric system in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Just as few American political leaders would have a good word for the metric system or international law, Egyptian political leaders love to talk about foreign hands and eschew international expertise. —Nathan J. Brown, Foreign Affairs, 3 July 2013

For those of us clueless about the metric system, that’s roughly an inch or two. —Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023

Also, keep in mind that New Zealand uses the metric system, so distances will be given in kilometers rather than miles (likewise, the weather is measured in degrees Celsius instead of Fahrenheit). —Amy Louise Bailey, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2023

Turns out, Washington was keen on not using the metric system, much to the inconvenience of just about everyone. —William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2023

This two-pack offers clear measuring with a classic two-sided design, one side for inches the other side uses the metric system in centimeters. —Billy Cadden, Popular Science, 23 Aug. 2023

Under the International System of Units, which is based on the metric system that the rest of the world uses, a pascal (Pa) is the standard unit of pressure; a pascal is the pressure that the force of one newton puts perpendicularly onto an area of one square meter. —Matt Crisara, Popular Mechanics, 14 June 2023

Here are some quick conversions to bookmark or screenshot, including measurements of inches, feet, yards, miles and the metric system. —USA TODAY, 8 May 2023

Choose your preferred units of measurement The United States may not have adopted the metric system, but the same can’t be said for the rest of the world. —Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2023