Definition of identicalnext

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 The actor's eerily identical doppelgänger is Guillermo Zapata, an Argentinian male model who co-owns SUR restaurant in West Hollywood with The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump. Laura Lane, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026 In the study, identical twins (who share the same DNA) attracted mosquitoes at nearly identical levels, while fraternal twins showed more variation. Ryan Brennan may 1, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026 Here, two oscillators are running at close to but not identical frequencies. IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2026 At the centre of the hands-free dial is the effigy of a work representing one of those four civilizations, which is created using stones identical to those featured in the Louvre pieces. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for identical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for identical
Adjective
  • That same day, Obama had a call with Zohran Mamdani, who was on the brink of winning the New York City mayoral race.
    Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • The menstrual cycle, according to these same voices, is also an emotional roller coaster, best ridden with the aid of bespoke products.
    Andréa Becker, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Adjective
  • Many of the precautions a traveler could take are similar to those that became familiar at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 8 May 2026
  • Nationally, campuses including Harvard, Duke and the University of Pennsylvania reported similar outages.
    Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • Teamsters Local 727, which represents animal care specialists, groundskeepers, patrol officers, seasonals, aides, and custodians, said the zoo's latest contract offer would take away their current health care plans without providing a comparable alternative.
    Todd Feurer, CBS News, 4 May 2026
  • The idea is to deal with a heavily armored or deeply buried target by dropping a bomb that is hard enough and heavy enough to plunge through yards of earth and stone to deliver a staggering blast comparable to a seismic event.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 May 2026
Adjective
  • An analogous argument, albeit in the context of children and teenagers, was recently brought against Meta and other social media companies.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • What’s going on there is analogous to what the oil business did in Houston and Dallas.
    Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The Great Divide had healthy physical sales, around 175,000; however, streaming led the Vermont native’s ascent to the top — streaming units comprised 212,000 of the total 389,000 first week equivalent album units.
    Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 May 2026
  • The country also retains significant tanker capacity — equivalent to roughly 37 very large crude carriers — both inside and outside the blockade.
    Anthony Di Paola, Fortune, 2 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Identical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/identical. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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