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 New Gallup polling shows that 49% of US adults view crime as a serious problem, while an identical share say crime has increased over the last year. Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2025 Despite the nearly identical nature of her pen name and the name of the conversion therapist, the author said similarities between the two were purely coincidental. Quispe López, Them., 30 Oct. 2025 Prospects can even order this identical car, including its stunning Al Aqua Rainbow paint, with special pigments that create a subtle rainbow prism effect under sunlight. Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025 That's virtually the same contract Carlos Rodón got from the New York Yankees three offseasons ago, and although the two lefties have very different styles, their production prior to free agency justifies the notion of identical deals. Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for identical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for identical
Adjective
  • In fiscal 2025, Starbucks reported a 1% decline in same store sales in China, weighed down by 5% decrease in the average amount of money a customer spends per transaction.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025
  • But Wall Street is anticipating that McDonald's will report same-store sales growth for the second straight quarter, showing that its value strategy is winning over customers.
    Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • While its initial focus was cross-border payments, Zhang said the company’s revenue is now spread over an array of products, with business accounts similar to Mercury comprising 34% of its revenue, spend management 20%, and payments 30%.
    Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Though the Maldives is the first country to enact such a ban, similar proposals have been debated – and nearly imposed – in other parts of the world.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Certain closet staples are well worth investing in, but finding comparable styles at a more affordable price point can make building a solid seasonal wardrobe more realistic.
    Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a measure to fund NASA at a level comparable to fiscal year 2025, and there is bipartisan support for maintaining the space agency's science programs.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • That case established a new Second Amendment test, holding that modern-day regulations regarding gun rights must have an analogous historical regulation.
    Solcyré Burga, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
  • As fiction films do something analogous to what is done in prose forms like the novel and the short story, so nonfiction films can have a broad choice of nonfiction literary models.
    Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).
    Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2025
  • In general, Glenn’s performance on fitness and vital signs tests was equivalent to or even better than that of his younger crewmates, but there were exceptions.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 31 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Identical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/identical. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on identical

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