Definition of tantamount
: equivalent in value, significance, or effect
- a relationship tantamount to marriage
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Examples of tantamount in a Sentence
His statement was tantamount to an admission of guilt.
They see any criticism of the President as tantamount to treason.
Recent Examples of tantamount from the Web
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The statement by the quiet, laid-back author of all-things-humor and few-things-controversial was tantamount to a temper tantrum.
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Even though Californians have a higher minimum wage — $14 in San Francisco, rising to $15 this summer — the home values are going up at a level that's tantamount to a six-figure salary.
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Pro-government media warned that a failure to do so was tantamount to treason.
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In the heavily democratic Prince George’s, winning the June 26 Democratic primary is tantamount to winning the election.
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And in this heavily Democratic district, a victory in the 20 March primary is tantamount to winning the general election.
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To manifest destiny’s proponents, to doubt the inevitability of technological and social progress via the railroad was tantamount to doubting the will of God.
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Some people state that just trying to clear his name through the proper channels is tantamount to ‘bullying’, which, again, reflects an unfortunate and regrettable mentality formed by a culture that rewards inflammatory innuendo over simple facts.
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Capital goods orders excluding aircraft and defense — which is tantamount to business investment — dipped 0.3% in December.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tantamount.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Tantamount comes from the Anglo-French phrase tant amunter, meaning "to amount to as much." This phrase comes from the Old French tant, meaning "so much" or "as much," and amounter, meaning "to ascend" or "to add up to." When tantamount first entered English, it was used similarly to the Anglo-French phrase, as a verb meaning "to be equivalent." "His not denying tant-amounteth to the affirming of the matter," wrote clergyman Thomas Fuller in 1659, for example. There was also a noun tantamount in the 17th century, but the adjective is the only commonly used form of the term nowadays.
Origin and Etymology of tantamount
obsolete tantamount, noun, equivalent, from Anglo-French tant amunter to amount to as much
TANTAMOUNT Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of tantamount for English Language Learners
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: equal to something in value, meaning, or effect
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See words that rhyme with tantamount Spanish Central: Translation of tantamount Nglish: Translation of tantamount for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of tantamount for Arabic speakers
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