measured
Americanadjective
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ascertained or apportioned by measure.
The race was over the course of a measured mile.
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accurately regulated or proportioned.
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regular or uniform, as in movement; rhythmical.
to walk with measured strides.
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deliberate and restrained; careful; carefully weighed or considered.
measured language; measured terms.
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in the form of meter or verse; metrical.
adjective
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determined by measurement
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slow, stately, or leisurely
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carefully considered; deliberate
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of measured
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at measure, -ed 2
Explanation
Things done in a deliberate, rhythmic way are measured. When you're walking toward a deer in the woods, trying not to scare it off, you'll take slow, measured steps. When you meditate, you take measured breaths and pay attention to the inhale and exhale. And your measured strides up the side of a mountain trail will carry you more quickly to the top than short, erratic bursts of walking and stopping. Measured also means "thoughtful" or "careful," like the measured words you use in your delicately worded resignation letter.
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.
"Politicians who set standards for others must be measured by them too," said Marion Rosin, a Christian Democrat in Thuringia and part of the Women's Union.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
At the time of the bloom, Odorysseus measured 71 inches in height, and Odora measured 41.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
By comparing the share of new listings hitting the market with the number of active listings, the company also measured how “stale” homes are getting from sitting on the market.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
The increased speeds of conveyor belts in meatpacking plants, Mr. Smil notes, make those jobs among the most perilous in existence as measured by worker injuries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
In 1532, however, Johannes Vögelin measured the parallax of the comet that appeared in that year and claimed to confirm the erroneous result of pseudo-Regiomontanus.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
