commensurate

adjective

com·men·su·rate | \ kə-ˈmen(t)s-rət

, -ˈmen(t)sh-; -ˈmen(t)-sə-, -shə-\

Definition of commensurate

1 : corresponding in size, extent, amount, or degree : proportionate was given a job commensurate with her abilities

2 : equal in measure or extent : coextensive lived a life commensurate with the early years of the republic

3 : commensurable sense 1

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Did You Know?

Commensurate is a word that really measures up. And no wonder - it's a descendant of the Latin noun mensura, meaning "measure," from "mensus," past participle of "metiri" ("to measure"). In the first recorded use of "commensurate," which comes from 1641, the adjective was used as a synonym of "coextensive." It didn't take long for "commensurate" to be used to mean "proportionate" as well. Henry James used this sense in The American when he wrote, "The stakes were high and the risk was great; the prize therefore must have been commensurate."

Examples of commensurate in a Sentence

Because the effects of tobacco are slow—and iterative—and produce diseases that have other causes and explanations, often later in life, they seldom arouse fear commensurate with their impact. — Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, (2007) 2009 The last of the string family, the double bass, is the largest of all and must be played standing. Because it is seen in jazz bands, it has recently taken on an importance more nearly commensurate with its size. — Aaron Copland, What to Listen for in Music, (1957) 1988 I find it interesting that the meanest life, the poorest existence, is attributed to God's will, but as human beings become more affluent, as their living standard and style begin to ascend the material scale, God descends the scale of responsibility at a commensurate speed. — Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969 … athletes are rewarded commensurate with their fame, not their intrinsic talent … — Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 21 Dec. l987 Her new position came with a commensurate level of responsibility. was given a job commensurate with her abilities and experience

Recent Examples on the Web

Successful arrangements also need to include a commensurate cut to the amount of work expected of the employee. — Cassie Werber, Quartz at Work, "The three-stage blueprint for “crafting” a flexible career," 13 Aug. 2019 That said, the risk might be commensurate with the reward. — Mark Goodman, The Denver Post, "Backpass: Is there a path to pro women’s soccer in Colorado?," 12 July 2019 What is clear is that the captive elephant population in the United States is dwindling at a rate in many ways eerily commensurate with that of their wild counterparts, like shadows fading with the dimming of their source. — New York Times, "Zoos Called It a ‘Rescue.’ But Are the Elephants Really Better Off?," 9 July 2019 That spawned Twitter hashtags #PayTheWomen and #PayThem, as the world champions fight for paychecks that are commensurate with their accomplishments. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, "Equal pay is the U.S. Women's National Team's next goal," 10 July 2019 Service is not always commensurate with the high cost of admission. — Patricia Escárcega, latimes.com, "Spago at middle age: Is Wolfgang Puck’s flagship restaurant still relevant?," 27 June 2019 But Bigger says these words are not being met with commensurate action. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Report: The U.S. Military Is Creating a Carbon Pollution Bootprint," 26 June 2019 But compared to other industries, banking appears either commensurate or only slightly more diverse. — Natasha Frost, Quartz, "Why UK prime minister candidate Sajid Javid chose a career in banking," 18 June 2019 If Trump sought a proportional response, damaging some intelligence and military computers is certainly more commensurate with the downing of an unmanned drone than bombing physical targets. — Alex Ward, Vox, "The weekend in the risky US-Iran standoff, explained," 24 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'commensurate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for commensurate

commensurate

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of commensurate

formal : equal or similar to something in size, amount, or degree

See the full definition for commensurate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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commensurate

Definition of commensurate

Other Words from commensurate

Synonyms & Antonyms for commensurate

Did You Know?

Examples of commensurate in a Sentence

First Known Use of commensurate

History and Etymology for commensurate

English Language Learners Definition of commensurate

commensurate

Definition of commensurate

Other Words from commensurate

Synonyms & Antonyms for commensurate

Did You Know?

Examples of commensurate in a Sentence

First Known Use of commensurate

History and Etymology for commensurate

English Language Learners Definition of commensurate

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