scales 1 of 4

plural of scale
as in balances
a device for measuring weight I hate getting on the bathroom scale

Synonyms & Similar Words

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scales

2 of 4

noun (2)

plural of scale
as in plates
a small thin piece of material that resembles an animal scale scales of mica were embedded in the granite

Synonyms & Similar Words

scales

3 of 4

noun (3)

plural of scale

scales

4 of 4

verb

present tense third-person singular of scale

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scales
Noun
While standard digital smart scales send a singular electrical signal up through your lower body, the Scale BodyScan sends current through both your hands and feet via the extendable bar, completing a circuit across your entire frame. New Atlas, 1 July 2026 With this capability, Rubin can reveal details of the cosmos across an enormous range of scales, from distant galaxies, to individual stars, to the wispy clouds of dust spread throughout our galaxy. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Either dark energy is a real phenomenon, causing the universe to grow bigger at a faster and faster rate, or there is no dark energy at all, and scientists have somehow misunderstood the laws of gravity at cosmic scales. Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 July 2026 The Bride is right on the edge of this kind of political fluency—giving Gyllenhaal The Bell Jar might tip her scales. Literary Hub, 1 July 2026 The Unified Government has previously granted projects with similar funding scales as what Eastside is proposing, and so it should be allowed to do the same, Murray said. Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 The spindle’s mechanical quirks show just how weird materials science can get at the finest scales of life. Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2026 Prior to the war, the Wasleys produced postal scales, hat stretchers for derby hats, garden sprayers, an egg piercer and a water dispenser for the feeding of chickens. Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026 The figurative scales of justice are totally out of whack now. Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026
Verb
As trading volume increases, profitability also scales upwards, regardless of which side wins. Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 In its fifth and final season, The Bear scales back down to its fundamentals and delivers a satisfying farewell to one of the most electrifying television series of the past decade. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 June 2026 This stacking architecture also scales up the capacity of individual cells. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 June 2026 However, questions remain as to how that scales to the NBA. David Aldridge, New York Times, 24 June 2026 Buying less food wastes less of it, and the roughly 700 million tons of CO₂ equivalent lost annually to food-system waste scales down with the volume. Tenzin Seldon, Fortune, 21 June 2026 Keating said Uni is in the process of closing an additional funding round as the brand scales its retail footprint and broader business. Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scales
Noun
  • Those with higher balances will have more time to repay their loans, which will result in smaller monthly payments.
    Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
  • On the other side are banks and card issuers with payment credentials, points balances, financing capabilities and rich consumer data.
    Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • No catch-all dishes, served on individual plates.
    Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 29 June 2026
  • Whereas the sights and sounds of South End lean toward bar crowds and joggers traversing the Rail Trail, SouthPark is more about catching a whiff of Le Labo and seeing couples settle in at a corner table with glasses of Cabernet and small plates.
    Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • But this divine similarity evidently did nothing to preclude slavery, patriarchy, and the many other social hierarchies depicted elsewhere in the Bible.
    Teresa M. Bejan, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
  • As muscles disappear and social hierarchies collapse, Jim embarks on a wild, campy quest to find a cure before his life falls apart completely.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • Shah adds that many women feel their best when ferritin levels are at least between 40 and 70 ng/ml for optimal energy and hair health, even if lab ranges suggest lower levels are ‘normal’.
    Tatiana Dias, Vogue, 30 June 2026
  • No other existing or planned telescope can observe through multiple ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum simultaneously on such short notice.
    Anna Y. Q. Ho, Scientific American, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • The 230-meter-long (754-foot-long) vessel is now operating with a rigid wing sail system called the Wing560, which measures 46 meters (150 feet) in height and 14 meters (45 feet) in width.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
  • Foley says the dispatch center continuously measures electrical demand and balances it with available supply.
    Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • Fire crews quickly deployed ladders and were able to get both people down safely.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026
  • In addition, young runners can check out the Track & Field Zone to try their skills at mini hurdles, standing broad jumps, agility ladders and more.
    AJC.com, AJC.com, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Besides adhering to and leveraging various spectrums of light, temperature, air quality, and noise levels, these conditions are underrated factors that either support or undermine human biology hour by hour.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
  • Vulture’s critics are tracking the year’s TV highlights across the streaming and broadcast spectrums, from breakout hits to underseen gems and everything in between.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • Ned Davis Research strategist Ed Clissold pointed out that his firm's multicap advance/decline line, which gauges the number of stocks that rose in a day minus those that fell, last peaked on April 20.
    Fred Imbert, CNBC, 22 June 2026
  • Baseball Savant’s newest metric, which gauges how well hitters time up certain pitches and square them up, loves him.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 14 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Scales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scales. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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