size up
Judge by looking
To size up is to assess or evaluate someone or something, forming a judgment about their nature, abilities, or potential: She sized up the competition before the match.
The phrase suggests a quick, often intuitive appraisal—taking someone's measure at a glance.
He sized up the situation and decided to leave.
Judge worth or quality
- appraiseDetermine value of
- gaugeStandard of measurement
- estimateInformed guess at quantity
- measureUnit of quantity
judge · weigh · rate · value · survey · review · consider · calculate
Study with attention
- inspectStudy closely for flaws
- observePerceive with attention
- studyDeliberate learning effort
- look overExamine briefly or superficially
check out · eye · scan · survey · watch · view · peruse · vet
Seek facts systematically
- probeThorough examination or tool
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
- dissectCut open to examine
- exploreTravel to discover
interpret · decode · understand · comprehend · detect · discern · read · figure out
One who competes against
- competitorOne striving against others
- adversaryEnemy in conflict
- challengerOne competing against incumbent
- contenderOne competing seriously
foe · opposition · enemy · threat · match · game plan · strategy · strengths
assess
Judge worth or quality
measure · judge · weigh · rate · value · survey · review · consider · calculate · determine
examine
Study with attention
look over · check out · eye · scan · survey · watch · view · peruse · vet · screen
investigate
Seek facts systematically
explore · interpret · decode · understand · comprehend · detect · discern · read · figure out · break down
rival
One who competes against
- competitorOne striving against others
- adversaryEnemy in conflict
- challengerOne competing against incumbent
contender · foe · opposition · enemy · threat · match · game plan · strategy · strengths · weaknesses
- examineexamine, analyze, assess, evaluate, inspect
- investigatinginvestigate, examine, inspect, probe, search
- judgmentsjudgment call, judge, moral judgment, criticize, value judgment
- Understanding Othersknow someone, see through, figure out, empathize, put yourself in their shoes
- measurement idiomsinch by inch, give an inch, whole nine yards, by a mile, go the extra mile
- thinkingthinking, reasoning, thought, ponder, contemplate
size upscrutinize
Inspect with close attention
investigate · dissect · pore over · take at face value · probe
up, size, minimize, sized, sizes, maximize, downsize, downsizing, sizing