1
a
: physical magnitude, extent, or bulk : relative or proportionate dimensions
b
: relative aggregate amount or number
c
: considerable proportions : bigness
2
: one of a series of graduated measures especially of manufactured articles (as of clothing) conventionally identified by numbers or letters
a size seven hat
3
: character, quality, or status of a person or thing especially with reference to importance, relative merit, or correspondence to needs
Try this idea on for size.
4
: actual state of affairs
That's about the size of it.
5
dialectal British
: assize sense 2a
—usually used in plural
6
obsolete
: a fixed portion of food or drink
sized; sizing
1
: to make a particular size : bring to proper or suitable size
2
: to arrange, grade, or classify according to size or bulk
: to equal in size or other particular characteristic : compare
—usually used with up and often with to or with
: any of various glutinous materials (such as preparations of glue, flour, varnish, or resins) used for filling the pores in surfaces (as of paper, textiles, leather, or plaster) or for applying color or metal leaf (as to book edges or covers)
sized; sizing
: to cover, stiffen, or glaze with or as if with size
Synonyms
Examples of size in a Sentence
Noun (1)
we worried that the immense size of the sofa would make getting it through the doorway impossible
Noun (2)
coated the fabric with size before applying it to the wall
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
There will be a wind event this week, but nothing like the conditions that caused the fire to explode in size last week, officials said.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
Choose from 19 colors, including navy, green, red, and khaki, and sizes XS–XXL.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
Catarina Saraiva, Fortune, 29 June 2023
Mobile made the list for mid-size metros, landing at number 12 behind Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida.
—Leada Gore | [email protected], al, 7 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for size 
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
What’s more, doing so resulted in no measurable change in fruit size or total quantity.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
There will be a wind event this week, but nothing like the conditions that caused the fire to explode in size last week, officials said.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
Verb
The font size drop-down menu gives you a 16-point option, a size common for web content.
—PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
Choose from 19 colors, including navy, green, red, and khaki, and sizes XS–XXL.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
While the largest banks remain well capitalized and safe, and the size diversity of the country’s banking system should be preserved, more may need to be done in overseeing mid-size banks and the nonbank sector.
—Catarina Saraiva, Fortune, 29 June 2023
Mobile made the list for mid-size metros, landing at number 12 behind Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida.
—Leada Gore | [email protected], al, 7 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for size
Dictionary Entries Near size
Cite this Entry
“Size.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/size. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
size
1 of 5 noun1
: physical extent or bulk
2
a
: the measurements of a thing
b
: relative amount or number
3
: one of a series of measures especially of manufactured articles (as of clothing) usually identified by numbers or letters
size
2 of 5 verb
sized; sizing
1
: to make a particular size
2
: to arrange, grade, or classify according to size
3
: to form a judgment of
—used with up
sizing up the candidates
size
3 of 5 adjective
ˈsīz 
ˌsīz
: sized sense 1
medium-size
size
4 of 5 noun
: a gluey material (as a preparation of glue, flour, or varnish) used for filling the pores in a surface (as of plaster), as a stiffener (as of fabric), or as an adhesive
size
5 of 5 verb
sized; sizing
: to apply size to
Etymology
Noun
Middle English sise "a law, a law controlling weights and measures used in the marketplace, a fixed portion of food and drink," from early French sise (same meaning), from earlier assise "a lawmaking session, legal action," from asseoir "to seat," derived from Latin assidere "to sit beside, assist (a judge)," from ad- "toward, near" and sedēre "to sit"
Noun
Middle English sise "something gluey used as a filler, stiffener, or adhesive"
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