equivalent 1 of 2

Definition of equivalentnext
as in counterpart
one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value that huge mansion at the end of the street is the equivalent of five ordinary houses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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equivalent

2 of 2

adjective

Synonym Chooser

How is the word equivalent different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of equivalent are equal, identical, same, selfsame, and very. While all these words mean "not different or not differing from one another," equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

When would equal be a good substitute for equivalent?

While in some cases nearly identical to equivalent, equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

Where would identical be a reasonable alternative to equivalent?

Although the words identical and equivalent have much in common, identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

How are the words same and selfsame related as synonyms of equivalent?

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 equivalent?

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 equivalent
Noun
Only gauging team climate once a year is the equivalent of testing oxygen annually. Nilton Bernini, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026 Painting your nails and toes with one of these rich, lite-goth colors is the beauty equivalent of turning off the air conditioning and ordering a pumpkin spice latte. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 18 Sep. 2026
Adjective
In organizations, the emerging equivalent runs from information gathering through synthesis, decision-making and execution. Julio Ottino, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026 But most of the objects are in good or pristine condition, indistinguishable from equivalent items on the resale market. Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for equivalent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equivalent
Noun
  • Unlike its ghost and black cat pillow counterparts, the pumpkin works as Halloween décor but is still neutral enough to keep out past October 31.
    Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Because of the boldness of their political positions and doctrines, progressives can be seen as more charismatic than their more centrist counterparts.
    Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Despite this, as Victoria Fuller, head of Cleveland Police, pointed out, the local force receives £139million ($187m) less funding than, for example, its counterpart in Surrey, south of London, despite a comparable population.
    Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • California pump prices are now comparable to levels last seen in early June, according to AAA.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • All onshore experiences are locally guided, offered in small groups, and scaled to different activity levels.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The correspondence helped convince Anders, who fled the Nazis for American exile in 1936, that different kinds of evil cause different kinds of harm.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • And then there’s my father’s brother and somebody else, a business partner.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Waltz said the administration wants to hear directly from its Gulf partners about their concerns, describing the collective meeting as an important diplomatic opportunity.
    Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The senator said the Food and Drug Administration's model of pharmaceutical regulation is analogous to the AI debate.
    Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
  • In some ways, shorebirds are analogous to the wolves that hunt the deer and elk populations that eat the tree saplings that become the trees that beavers use to build dams that help the fish—and so on.
    Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • In other cases, Virginia prosecutors have previously brought their own expert witnesses to counter an insanity defense at trials or even disputed the claims without their own expert, according to reports and court records.
    Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Even though the analysis adjusted for several potential confounding factors, other unmeasured factors could still contribute to the observed relationship.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Its board was drawn from the same captains of industry—bankers, retailers, insurance men—who would have occupied such positions in any similar synagogue.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Simons and the Italian designer share a similar aesthetic hinged on modernism and occasionally futurism and even provocation.
    Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Applicants will have to register with the secretary of state, document a threat within the past year and receive a substitute address that government agencies must generally accept.
    Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The bill would provide participants in the program with a substitute address, shielding their personal information and rerouting their mail through the Secretary of State.
    Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Equivalent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equivalent. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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