measure up
Britishverb
-
(adverb) to determine the size of (something) by measurement
-
to fulfil (expectations, standards, etc)
-
Be the equal of, as in Is he a good enough actor to measure up to the other members of the cast? [Early 1900s]
-
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.
The job has to measure up to the trade-off of precious time he’s surrendering.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
If the returns didn’t measure up to the investments, there was always more ad revenue to be had.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
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
"But I will say that my boyfriend is my angel sent from heaven. He talks me down when I feel like I don't measure up."
From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026
Whatever she did, it couldn't measure up to their store-bought clothing.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
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.
