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Synonyms

measure up

British  

verb

  1. (adverb) to determine the size of (something) by measurement

  2. to fulfil (expectations, standards, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
measure up Idioms  

  1. Be the equal of, as in Is he a good enough actor to measure up to the other members of the cast? [Early 1900s]

  2. Have the qualifications for, be of high enough quality for, as in His latest book hasn't measured up to the reviewers' expectations . [First half of 1900s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But it is possible to look at the general trend and how the nations measure up to their own targets.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

The fragments vary widely in size, from less than 1 gram to 85.4 grams, and can measure up to 5 centimeters along their longest dimension.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026

But when it comes to collectibles, there’s frequently a sense they don’t quite measure up as a legitimate asset class.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 26, 2025

Renaissance executives remain satisfied with Medallion’s results and aren’t contemplating any changes, even if the gains don’t quite measure up to past performance, people familiar with the matter said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

There was no ancient emperor for him to measure up to.

From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.