equal 1 of 3

adjective

ˈē-kwəl How to pronounce equal (audio)
Definition of equalnext
1
as in equitable
marked by justice, honesty, and freedom from bias the basic belief that everyone is entitled to equal opportunity in employment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in identical
resembling another in every respect as far as I can see, except for the high price, the store-brand jacket is equal to the jacket with the designer label

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in suitable
having the required skills for an acceptable level of performance looking for someone equal to the challenge of running a large state university

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in composed
free from emotional or mental agitation he proceeded, in an equal tone, to recount the terrible events of the day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

equal

2 of 3

noun

as in equivalent
one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value a basketball player who truly has no equal in his sport

Synonyms & Similar Words

equal

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to match
to produce something equal to (as in quality or value) no one has equaled Shakespeare's plays

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to mean
to be the same in meaning or effect being confined to home for a whole weekend would equal a death sentence in the minds of a lot of teens

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to parallel
to be the exact counterpart of in the British system a public school equals an American prep school

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word equal different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of equal are equivalent, identical, same, selfsame, and very. While all these words mean "not different or not differing from one another," equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

When might equivalent be a better fit than equal?

In some situations, the words equivalent and equal are roughly equivalent. However, equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

When is identical a more appropriate choice than equal?

The synonyms identical and equal are sometimes interchangeable, but identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

How are the words same and selfsame related as synonyms of equal?

Same may imply and selfsame always implies that the things under consideration are one thing and not two or more things.

took the same route
derived from the selfsame source

How does the word very relate to other synonyms for equal?

Very, like selfsame, may imply identity, or, like same may imply likeness in kind.

the very point I was trying to make

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 equal
Adjective
Millennials and Baby Boomers reported equal confidence at 50 percent. —Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025 Manuka honey has become a go-to in wellness, but not all Manuka honey is created equal. —Footwear News, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
Also looming on the horizon is the Sony Alpha 6500, which should at least be the equal of the Alpha 6300 in terms of image quality and autofocus speed, and adds in-body image stabilization, a larger shooting buffer, and a touch screen, all for $1,400. —PC Magazine, 23 July 2025 Few, if any, teams have a receiving trio the equal of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. —Kc Joyner, New York Times, 23 July 2025
Verb
One ratings point in Miami-Fort Lauderdale equals more than 18,000 homes. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025 But Week 1 served as a reminder that a good fit doesn't always equal a quick fix. —Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for equal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equal
  1. equitable
  2. identical
  3. suitable
  4. composed
  5. equivalent
  6. match
  7. mean
  8. parallel
Adjective
  • Civil rights leaders criticized the federal government at the time for failing to prioritize equitable access in communities of color.
    — Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
  • These include helping your family, helping your group, demonstrating reciprocity, demonstrating bravery, respecting a hierarchy and your superiors, dividing resources in an equitable way and respecting ownership of property.
    — Tracy Brower, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of equitable
Adjective
  • While the output varies even for identical inputs, models do sometimes regurgitate something from their training data—if trained with personal data, the output could be a violation of user privacy.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The charging case is nearly identical to the Pro 2's but slightly larger.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of identical
Adjective
  • Scientists revealed that the 1200-volt, 400-amp power module is suitable for use in power grids and even heavy-duty vehicles such as next-generation aircraft and military vehicles.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Nonfunctional Gadgets and Tech Outdated gadgets are rarely suitable for donation.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2025
Definition of suitable
Adjective
  • The vocabulary being used by Qatar’s prime minister is strong, evocative and damning, a departure from his usual composed response to the incessant twists and turns of trying to end the 23-month war in Gaza.
    — Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Remember, significant wealth can be created in the market by those who maintain a composed and strategic approach during times of volatility.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of composed
Noun
  • The addictive opioid drug is 50 times more potent than morphine and can trigger a fatal overdose with as little as 2 milligrams, the equivalent of a few grains of salt.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025
  • The heft of batteries means EVs are generally a few hundred kilograms heavier than their fossil fuel equivalents.
    — James Morris, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Definition of equivalent
Verb
  • The long silhouette with trumpet hems that ended mid-calf continued throughout the collection — as skirts worn with blouson coats, as dresses with matching flyaway scarves and ties, and as trench coats.
    — Blue Carreon, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Single tickets sold California, Iowa, Maryland and Massachusetts matched all five numbers except for the Powerball worth $1 million each.
    — Chris Sims, IndyStar, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of match
Verb
  • In practice, that can mean running the same queries more efficiently in less time and with lower compute costs.
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
  • For planes flying 30,000 feet above sea level or military vehicles traveling through combat zones, that level of reliability can mean the difference between life and death.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
Definition of mean
Verb
  • Kurzweil’s singularity parallels ideas from Italian and Russian futurists amid the electrical and mechanical revolutions that took place at the turn of the 20th century.
    — Sonja Fritzsche, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Along the top of the fire, the crews continue working slowly parallel with, and sometimes on, the McKinley Grove Road, doing clearing vegetation by hand, applying pre-treatment, and conducting critical strategic firing operations to remove heavy vegetation in front of the active fire front.
    — CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Definition of parallel

Browse Nearby Words

equable
equal
equaled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Equal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equal. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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