Measure sth against sb Meaning / Examples / How to Use

What Does “Measure sth against sb” Mean?

“Measure sth against sb” means to compare one thing or person with another to evaluate their qualities, abilities, or performance.

Introduction

The phrase “measure sth against sb” is often used when comparing qualities, achievements, or standards between two people or things. The “sth” stands for “something,” and “sb” means “somebody.” This expression helps us understand how one thing stands in relation to another. For example, you might measure your success against a colleague’s or measure a product’s quality against a competitor’s. Understanding the “measure sth against sb” meaning makes it easier to use this phrase naturally in conversations and writing.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: measure something against somebody
• Type: transitive
• Level: B2
• Short meaning: to compare one thing or person with another

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Measure sth against sb” is a transitive phrasal verb and is generally inseparable, meaning you cannot place the object between “measure” and “against.” The usual structure is:

• Measure something against somebody
• Example: She measured her skills against his.

Here, “something” is the thing being compared, and “somebody” is the person or standard used for comparison.

How to Use “Measure sth against sb”?

You use “measure sth against sb” when you want to compare a quality, skill, or achievement of one thing or person with another. It often implies evaluating which is better, stronger, or more suitable. This phrase is common in discussions about performance, standards, or values.

For example, in a workplace, you might say, “We should measure our project’s success against last year’s results.” In personal contexts, you could say, “She measured her progress against her friend’s achievements.”

Examples

When discussing performance, it’s natural to compare yourself with others. Here are some examples using “measure sth against sb in a sentence”:

• It’s unfair to measure your achievements against hers because you have different experiences.
• The company measures its sales figures against its biggest competitor every quarter.
• He tried to measure his cooking skills against those of his mother.
• We should not measure our happiness against anyone else’s life.
• Teachers often measure students’ progress against the class average.

Common Mistakes

Some learners confuse this phrase with similar expressions or use the wrong word order. Here are common mistakes and corrections:

• Incorrect: Measure against sb something.
• Correct: Measure something against somebody.
• Incorrect: Measure yourself with him.
• Correct: Measure yourself against him.

Remember, “against” is the correct preposition, and the object being measured comes before it.

Differences / Synonyms

It’s helpful to compare “measure sth against sb” with similar phrases like “compare with” or “judge against.”

• Measure sth against sb emphasizes evaluation by comparison, often with a focus on standards or abilities.
• Compare with is more general and can be used for neutral or positive comparisons.
• Judge against implies making a decision or forming an opinion based on comparison.

For example, “We measured our performance against theirs” suggests a careful evaluation, while “We compared our performance with theirs” is more neutral.

Common Collocations

Some common objects used with “measure sth against sb” include:

• Skills: Measure your skills against a professional’s to see where you stand.
• Performance: Companies measure their performance against market leaders.
• Standards: It’s important to measure your work against industry standards.
• Achievements: Athletes often measure their achievements against past records.
• Results: Schools measure students’ results against national averages.

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of measure sth against sb:

• Measure Sb Against Sb
• Measure Yourself Against Sb
• Measure Sth Off
• Measure Sb Up
• Measure Yourself Against Sth

Real-life Dialogue

Here’s a short conversation where two friends use “measure sth against sb”:

Anna: I feel like I’m not doing well in my job.

Ben: Don’t measure yourself against others too much. Everyone has their own pace.

Anna: That’s true. Maybe I should measure my progress against where I was last year.

Ben: Exactly. That’s a better way to see your improvement.

Practice

Try filling in the blanks with the correct form of the phrase:

• It’s unfair to ______ your success ______ your colleague’s because you have different goals.
• We often ______ our test scores ______ the class average.
• She likes to ______ her cooking skills ______ her mother’s.
• The company ______ its profits ______ last year’s results.

FAQs

• What does “measure sth against sb” mean? It means to compare one thing or person with another to evaluate them.
• Can I say “measure against” without “something”? No, you need to specify what you are measuring.
• Is “measure sth against sb” formal? It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
• Can I use “measure myself with him”? No, the correct phrase is “measure myself against him.”
• What’s the difference between “measure against” and “compare with”? “Measure against” focuses on evaluation or standards, while “compare with” is more general.