match

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
a
: a person or thing equal or similar to another
b
: one able to cope with another
He was no match for his opponent.
c
: an exact counterpart
a lake that was almost the match of one he remembered from Switzerland
2
: a pair suitably associated
carpet and curtains are a match
3
a
: a contest between two or more parties
a golf match
a soccer match
a shouting match
b
: a contest (as in tennis or volleyball) completed when one player or side wins a specified number of sets or games
4
a
: a marriage union
b
: a prospective (see prospective sense 2b) partner in marriage
would make a good match for any man

match

2 of 3

verb

matched; matching; matches

transitive verb

1
a
: to encounter successfully as an antagonist
b(1)
: to set in competition or opposition
(2)
: to provide with a worthy competitor
c
: to set in comparison
2
: to join or give in marriage
3
a(1)
: to put in a set possessing equal or harmonizing attributes
(2)
: to cause to correspond : suit
matched programs to local needs
b(1)
: to be the counterpart of
also : to compare favorably with
(2)
: to harmonize with
the jacket matched the pants
c
: to provide with a counterpart
d
: to provide funds complementary to
employers may match the employee contributionD. J. Miller
4
: to fit together or make suitable for fitting together
5
a
: to flip or toss (coins) and compare exposed faces
b
: to toss coins with

intransitive verb

: to be a counterpart
matchable adjective
matcher noun

match

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: a chemically prepared wick or cord formerly used in firing firearms or powder
2
: a short slender piece of flammable material (such as wood) tipped with a combustible mixture that bursts into flame when slightly heated through friction (as by being scratched against a rough surface)

Examples of match in a Sentence

Verb This color matches your skin tone. She was wearing a beautiful skirt, but her sweater didn't match it. The upbeat music matched her mood. Her skirt and sweater matched perfectly. The pillows on the couch all match. Your socks don't match each other. His story doesn't match the facts.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Jamal Murray matched a season-high with 37 points on 13-of-21 shooting, plus seven assists and two steals. Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2024 This quiz will match you with one of 30 coffee drinks selected with the help of Bill Ristenpart, director of the Coffee Center at the University of California at Davis. Nick Mourtoupalas, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 An orchestra added swoops of strings and injected the song with its pulse while a chorus of young women in matching red pants and white shirts crooned the repetitive chorus. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 Some observers, looking very closely, noted that there appeared to be digital altering in the portion of the photo where Princess Charlotte’s wrist and the sleeve of her sweater don’t quite match up. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 In this iconic scene, the two sing and dance in matching shoes to the backdrop of a beautiful Los Angeles sky. Alexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 The 29 points matched the fewest Grossmont scored this season. Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 But no crime scenes that Kelly studied matched the victims' purposefully thought out placement, Kelly told Fox News Digital. Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2024 The Mega Millions jackpot continues to climb after no ticket matched all the winning numbers drawn Friday. Detroit Free Press, 9 Mar. 2024
Noun
There did not appear to be anything wrong with Yoshie during the match, according to the New York Post. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 12 Mar. 2024 Girma returned for the match against Colombia, and the defense looked sharper in contributing to a 3-0 victory, followed by a victory on a penalty-kick shootout against Canada. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024 The Technicolor lushness of Powell and Pressburger’s distinctive style is an ideal match for the cotton-candy steampunk fantasy of Yorgos Lanthimos’ film. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 Because the outcomes of sports games are unknown before the matches, allowing bets on them is considered less risky than bets on awards shows, whose results are decided in advance. Hallie Lieberman, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Many would be liberated months later, including Ward-Thomas, who — having written golf match reports for the camp paper during his incarceration — returned to England determined to pursue a career in sports journalism. Jack Bantock, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 Historic fight on Netflix Netflix will stream the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match, anticipated to be a historic and widely viewed event. Detroit Free Press, 9 Mar. 2024 This casino offers new players a 400% match bonus good for up to $2,000 on their first deposit – a match percentage that’s very hard to match. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 This is delicious now and would be a perfect match paired with prime rib or lamb chops. Tom Hyland, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'match.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb

Middle English macche, from Old English gemæcca mate, equal; akin to Old English macian to make — more at make entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English macche, mecche candlewick, from Anglo-French meche

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of match was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near match

Cite this Entry

“Match.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/match. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

match

1 of 3 noun
1
a
: a person or thing that is equal or similar to or exactly like another
b
: one that can compete or fight successfully with another
a match for the enemy
2
: two persons or things that go well together
curtains and carpet are a good match
3
: a contest between two or more parties
a tennis match
4
b
: a person to be considered as a marriage partner

match

2 of 3 verb
1
: to meet successfully as a competitor
2
a
: to place in competition
matched my strength with my friend's
b
: to provide with a worthy competitor
3
: to join or give in marriage
4
a
: to make or find the equal or the like of
b
: to make correspond
c
: to be the same as or suitable to one another
do these colors match?
5
: to flip or toss coins and compare upper surfaces
matcher noun

match

3 of 3 noun
1
: an evenly burning wick or cord formerly used to ignite a charge of powder
2
: a short slender piece of material (as wood) tipped with a mixture that ignites when scratched against something else
Etymology

Noun

Old English gemæcca "mate, equal"

Noun

Middle English macche "a wick," from early French meiche (same meaning)

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