tantamount
adjective
Did you know?
Although tantamount (from the Anglo-French phrase tant amunter, meaning “to amount to as much”) was used three different ways in the early 17th century—as a noun, verb, and adjective—the adjective form has since proven paramount to English users: it’s still in use while the noun and verb are obsolete. This is not to say that the adjective hasn’t experienced change over the years. While it was once acceptable to use tantamount in a variety of different sentence structures, nowadays it is almost always followed by the word to. And to use it before a noun, as in “the two old friends exchanged tantamount greetings,” would now be considered, er, tantamount to riding a penny-farthing or boneshaker onto the expressway.
Examples of tantamount in a Sentence
James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Peace for Rome was tantamount to victory for Rome – or, as in this case, for one of Rome’s strongmen.
—Timothy Joseph, The Conversation, 21 Jan. 2026
Passage of this resolution was tantamount to acquiescence by Congress, granting the president the authority to respond militarily by sending thousands of troops to fight in Vietnam.
—Richard Cherwitz, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
Taking part in this nefarious activity is tantamount to an armed attack, the administration says.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tantamount
Cite this Entry
“Tantamount.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tantamount. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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tantamount
adjective
