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size up

B2 neutral both transitive/intransitive

to quickly judge or assess someone or something

In plain English

to look at someone or something and decide what they are like

What does "size up" mean?

2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.

1 B2 idiomatic neutral

to form a judgment about someone or something after looking at them briefly

"She sized up the audience before beginning her speech."

He sized me up in a glance.

— Common literary phrasing; exact source not recalled
both
2 B2 idiomatic neutral

to estimate the scale, difficulty, or likely result of a situation

"The coach spent the first half sizing up the other team."

both

Literal vs figurative

Words literally mean

to determine the size of something

Actually means

to look at someone or something and decide what they are like

Usage tip

Very common in spoken and written English, especially for first impressions, competition, and strategy.

Words that pair with "size up"

Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.

opponent situation customer chance room problem

How to conjugate "size up"

The five tense forms you'll use most often.

Base
size up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sizes up
he/she/it
Past simple
sized up
yesterday
Past participle
sized up
have + pp
-ing form
sizing up
continuous

Hear "size up" in the wild

Listen to native speakers using "size up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.

Other ways to say "size up"

Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.

appraise assess evaluate figure out judge take stock of

Keep exploring

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