size
1 Americannoun
-
the spatial dimensions, proportions, magnitude, or bulk of anything.
the size of a farm; the size of the fish you caught.
-
considerable or great magnitude.
to seek size rather than quality.
-
one of a series of graduated measures for articles of manufacture or trade.
children's sizes of shoes.
-
a fortune of great size.
-
actual condition, circumstance, or state of affairs.
That's about the size of it.
-
a number of population or contents.
What size is Springfield, Illinois? The size of that last shipment was only a dozen.
-
Obsolete. a fixed standard of quality or quantity, as for food or drink.
verb (used with object)
-
to separate or sort according to size.
-
to make of a certain size.
-
Metallurgy. to press (a sintered compact) to close tolerances.
-
Obsolete. to regulate or control according to a fixed standard.
verb phrase
idioms
-
of a size, of the same or similar size.
The two poodles are of a size.
-
try on for size,
-
to put on briefly in order to test the fit of, as a garment or shoes.
-
to consider, evaluate, do, or use before taking further action.
We'll try the plan on for size to see whether it's practical.
-
noun
verb (used with object)
noun
-
the dimensions, proportions, amount, or extent of something
-
large or great dimensions, etc
-
one of a series of graduated measurements, as of clothing
she takes size 4 shoes
-
informal state of affairs as summarized
he's bankrupt, that's the size of it
verb
-
to sort according to size
-
(tr) to make or cut to a particular size or sizes
noun
verb
Usage
The use of -size and -sized after large or small is redundant, except when describing something which is made in specific sizes: a large (not large-size ) organization. Similarly, in size is redundant in the expressions large in size and small in size
Synonym Usage
Size, volume, mass, bulk are terms referring to the extent or dimensions of that which has magnitude and occupies space. Size is the general word: of great size; small in size. Volume often applies to something that has no fixed shape: Smoke has volume. Mass, also, does not suggest shape, but suggests a quantity of matter in a solid body: a mass of concrete. Bulk suggests weight, and often a recognizable, though perhaps unwieldy, shape: the huge bulk of an elephant.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of size1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English noun sise, syse, originally, “control, regulation, limit,” from Old French sise, shortening and alteration of assise assize
Origin of size2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English noun sise, syse; perhaps special use of size 1
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.
See Examples For:
CHAMINADE: There’s speed and size surrounding sophomore quarterback Jeremy Mellalieu.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
Inverter systems can cost thousands of dollars -- not dissimilar to petrol generators depending on the size -- but proponents say running costs are lower in the long run.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
The Essex fire service declared a major incident due to the size of the fire, warning people to stay away from the area and keep doors and windows closed if they live nearby.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Importantly, there are signs that Nike’s lifestyle-sneaker business is moderating to a healthier size and that its performance segment is improving.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Next to me, Lloyd was half his natural size, almost completely concealed by his pillow.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Customers will deploy 10s or 100s in a single project, “basically creating a power-plant sized battery” that can store power and supply the grid when energy is expensive, or directly serve facilities like data centers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
UniCredit already owned HVB, a decent sized lender to the country’s backbone of small companies known as the Mittelstand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Nvidia just folded the whole business segment into a new “edge computing” line where it cannot be sized on its own.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
But only 77% of children leave primary school being able to swim 25 metres - a standard sized swimming pool length.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Both—she has sized them up as well—are strong and quite capable of catching her if she makes a run for it.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
Tadeh Ghazalian, owner of Dialog, was still sizing up the damage to his restaurant the other day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Online shopping, says Charlotte, “is something I avoid, especially as I get older — I just don’t have the patience to decode the sizing differences of four different brands selling basically the same shirt.”
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
Meanwhile, sizing studies done on the SPR in the 1970s recommended an inventory minimum of 250 million barrels.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
The guidance for window sizing is a recommendation rather than a rule, which means builders in most of the U.K. don’t actually need to adhere to it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
She, in particular, was having a hell of a time sizing him up.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
