measure up
Britishverb
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(adverb) to determine the size of (something) by measurement
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to fulfil (expectations, standards, etc)
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Be the equal of, as in Is he a good enough actor to measure up to the other members of the cast? [Early 1900s]
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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.
RuPaul enters the fold and steals the show, and suddenly, none of the quips and bits can quite measure up to his delivery.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
In hindsight, he said, the story of Rico, a teenager trying to measure up to the demands of fatherhood while being ill-equipped and lacking maturity to navigate the situation constructively, carried personal undertones.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
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
To deepen the weight on my back was the disapproval of my teammates, who were less than forgiving when I lost a point or didn’t measure up to their expectations.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
