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.
A British study from 2014 looked at step counts measured with electronic sensors, and found that most children are more active on school days than weekends.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Financial hardship was measured separately through questions about day-to-day financial pressure, including whether participants struggled to manage on their income or had difficulty paying bills.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026
Global container capacity, measured in 20-foot equivalent units, stuck in port congestion, the equivalent of 6.6% of the fleet, according to Sea-Intelligence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Importantly, the polygenic risk measured in the study remained low and cannot determine whether any particular person will eventually develop Alzheimer's disease.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026
The duration of each lesson was measured by the clock, which at last struck twelve.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
