identical

adjective

iden·​ti·​cal ī-ˈden-ti-kəl 

ə-

1

: being the same : selfsame

the identical place we stopped before

2

: having such close resemblance as to be essentially the same

identical hats

—often used with to or with

The results were identical to/with those of the first test.

3

a

: having the same cause or origin

identical infections

b

: monozygotic

identically

ī-ˈden-ti-k(ə-)lē 

ə-

adverb

identicalness

ī-ˈden-ti-kəl-nəs 

ə-

noun

Synonyms of identical

• same

Choose the Right Synonym for identical

same, selfsame, very, identical, equivalent, equal mean not different or not differing from one another.

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

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

the very point I was trying to make

identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

Examples of identical in a Sentence

We visited the identical place we stopped at last year.

They were wearing identical coats.

The boxes were identical in shape.

They drove virtually identical cars.

The results were identical to those of the first test.

Recent Examples on the Web

To be sure, today's bond market isn't identical to that of 1987, and several of the underlying conditions that led to Black Monday are not currently at play. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026

Two people can use the same GPS and follow identical routes, but one arrives on time while the other does not. — Alex Shahidi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

That followed a similar incident on Saturday, when the midfielder left the field after passing out in almost identical fashion during another friendly, against RB Leipzig. — Nnamdi Onyeagwara, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

The question is not whether biogenic and fossil carbon are identical. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably from Medieval Latin identicus, from Late Latin identitas

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing identical

• identical twin
• self-identical

Rhymes for identical

• conventicle
• denticle
• tentacle

Kids Definition

identical

adjective

iden·​ti·​cal ī-ˈdent-i-kəl 

ə-ˈdent-

1

: being one and the same

the identical place we stopped at last year

2

: exactly alike or equal

wearing identical coats

identically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

identicalness

-kəl-nəs 

noun

Medical Definition

identical

adjective

iden·​ti·​cal ī-ˈdent-i-kəl, ə- 

: monozygotic

identical twins