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measure up
verb
measured up; measuring up; measures up
1
: to have necessary or fitting qualifications
—often used with to
2
: to be the equal (as in ability)
—used with to
Synonyms
Examples of measure up in a Sentence
he always worried about measuring up to his older brother
Recent Examples on the Web
The upstart Commanders couldn't get anything going on Thursday night, but were able to mostly measure up against a far better opponent.
—Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
This is striking for a few reasons, not least of which is that tuatara are relatively small animals (measuring up to 30 inches from tip to tip).
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
The Defense Ministry of Japan reported the Chinese naval movements near the country's territorial waters, which are measured up to 12 nautical miles from its coasts.
—Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
While Apple does a great job of keeping its app marketplace safe, Google doesn't quite measure up.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near measure up
Cite this Entry
“Measure up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/measure%20up. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
measure up
verb1
: to have necessary or fitting qualifications
2
: to be the equal (as in ability)
—used with to
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