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.
Doesn’t exactly measure up to the enormity of the classics, does it?
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
The company wanted to ensure food and service quality, along with having enough managers who measure up to its standards, said Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Referees are graded after every game and those who don’t measure up in their first match don’t work another one.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 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
I had a feeling she wouldn’t measure up to my brother’s standards.
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
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.
