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:
In time, the village increased the size of the protected area to 280 by 240 metres.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
The size of the blaze has twice forced officials to close the I-5 highway, an important route that runs the length of the US West Coast.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
Family size is declining, which means people have fewer cousins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
As the unique brand of baseball entertainment known as Banana Ball expanded into a six-team league, the tours have grown in size and scope but never actually ventured out of the United States.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Her head, which had been no bigger than his thumb when she hatched, was already the size of a lemon.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
If he must stand up, he’s placed behind a generously sized podium, robust enough to handle the full body-weight of his lean.
From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2026
He said pulling the full sized fridge freezer out of the river was their biggest challenge to date but the team proved equal to it.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
Homeowners say their builders have made mistakes as they attempt to put up homes as quickly and cheaply as possible, installing improperly sized HVACs, putting in windows incorrectly, or poorly ventilating attics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Many retirees take systematic monthly distributions sized to cover the year’s RMD, and if that’s you and you’re eight months in, roughly two-thirds of your RMD is already gone.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
I was aware that I was being carefully sized up while he talked primarily of F.B.I. and Internal Revenue Service close surveillance of his organization, and of a rumored forthcoming Congressional probe.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Bring it up too early and it can sound like you're sizing up their bank balance.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
“We’re ants, we’re nothing,” I remember him saying, sizing up the state of the American left.
From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026
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
She just stared at me for a second, sizing me up, probably thinking about whether she wanted to yell at me or not.
From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
