Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of identical are equal, equivalent, same, selfsame, and very. While all these words mean "not different or not differing from one another," identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

In what contexts can equal take the place of identical?

In some situations, the words equal and identical are roughly equivalent. However, equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

When is equivalent a more appropriate choice than identical?

The synonyms equivalent and identical are sometimes interchangeable, but equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

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

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 identical?

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 identical Eleven days later, Anderson, the school teacher, filed a nearly identical open records request seeking the same information but during a different timeframe. Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 1 Aug. 2025 Back in 2014, batteries cost more and stored less energy per unit of volume and mass, and the only way to get to the end of a 45-minute race was for each driver to have two identical cars, swapping at a mid-race pitstop. Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2025 Goods from Canada, America’s second-largest trading partner, have been tariffed at nearly identical rates as Mexico since April. Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 31 July 2025 Poppi, whose acquisition was completed in May, also offers Classic Cola and Cherry Cola flavors with a nearly identical nutritional profile, but Kirkham sees the two as complementary, selling in two separate soda segments that reach different consumer sets. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 29 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for identical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for identical
Adjective
  • Brown faced this same Red Sox lineup Aug. 1 and threw 45 four-seamers.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025
  • This same notion applies to Josh Hoover (TCU quarterback and number 14 on the list).
    Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Although the payments would be similar to the 2020 payments issued at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, rebates differ from stimulus checks.
    Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 9 Aug. 2025
  • While the data shows a spike in crime in these areas, citywide data shows that crime is occurring at similar rates to last year.
    Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This was a team that many in March thought had upside comparable to the Dodgers.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
  • There is no federal insurance comparable to FDIC coverage for bank deposits.
    Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This is analogous to what occurs with respect to ACIP’s recommendations for vaccines.
    Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
  • The process might be analogous to how amino acids spontaneously formed simple organic molecules roughly 4 billion years ago.
    Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2025
Adjective
  • According to Luminate, the set moved 48,500 equivalent units in its first frame.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The official pointed to Zimbabwe’s B1 and B2 visa overstay rate of 10.57%, which is equivalent to 709 Zimbabweans.
    Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Identical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/identical. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on identical

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