Meaning & use
in size
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Used after verbs of change to talk about how big or small something is.
Grammar: Comes after verbs like grow, increase, reduce, or vary: The room grew in size.
Patterns
- increase in size
- grow in size
- vary in size
- reduce something in size
The company has doubled in size since 2015.
These boxes vary in size, so check the label before you buy.
The tumor had grown in size, so the doctors acted quickly.
phrasefixed phrase
Used to compare two things by how big they are.
Grammar: Often with 'similar', 'the same', or 'different': similar in size to mine.
Patterns
- similar in size
- the same in size
- different in size
Your suitcase is similar in size to mine.
The two apartments are the same in size but very different in price.
Common combinations
- increase in size
- The market for electric cars increased in size last year.
- grow in size
- The puppy will grow in size quite quickly.
- similar in size
- The two rooms are similar in size.
- vary in size
- The stones vary in size from tiny to huge.
Word family
- size noun
- How big or small something is.
- sized adjective
- Having a particular size, as in 'medium-sized'.
Commonly confused: in size or of size?
in size vs of size
Not a normal phrase. Say 'of a certain size' or 'in size', depending on the sentence.
Practice
The two paintings are very similar ______, but one is much older.
Choose one answer.
We use 'in size' after 'similar' to compare how big things are. The other prepositions do not form this fixed pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “in size”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.