equal 1 of 3

adjective

ˈē-kwəl How to pronounce equal (audio)
Definition of equalnext
1
as in equitable
marked by justice, honesty, and freedom from bias the basic belief that everyone is entitled to equal opportunity in employment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in identical
resembling another in every respect as far as I can see, except for the high price, the store-brand jacket is equal to the jacket with the designer label

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in suitable
having the required skills for an acceptable level of performance looking for someone equal to the challenge of running a large state university

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in composed
free from emotional or mental agitation he proceeded, in an equal tone, to recount the terrible events of the day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

equal

2 of 3

noun

as in equivalent
one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value a basketball player who truly has no equal in his sport

Synonyms & Similar Words

equal

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to match
to produce something equal to (as in quality or value) no one has equaled Shakespeare's plays

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to mean
to be the same in meaning or effect being confined to home for a whole weekend would equal a death sentence in the minds of a lot of teens

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to parallel
to be the exact counterpart of in the British system a public school equals an American prep school

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of equal are equivalent, identical, same, selfsame, and very. While all these words mean "not different or not differing from one another," equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

When might equivalent be a better fit than equal?

In some situations, the words equivalent and equal are roughly equivalent. However, equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

When is identical a more appropriate choice than equal?

The synonyms identical and equal are sometimes interchangeable, but identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

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

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 equal?

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

the very point I was trying to make

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

Some common synonyms of equal are equivalent, identical, same, selfsame, and very. While all these words mean "not different or not differing from one another," equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

When might equivalent be a better fit than equal?

In some situations, the words equivalent and equal are roughly equivalent. However, equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

When is identical a more appropriate choice than equal?

The synonyms identical and equal are sometimes interchangeable, but identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

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

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 equal?

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

the very point I was trying to make

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

Some common synonyms of equal are equivalent, identical, same, selfsame, and very. While all these words mean "not different or not differing from one another," equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

When might equivalent be a better fit than equal?

In some situations, the words equivalent and equal are roughly equivalent. However, equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

When is identical a more appropriate choice than equal?

The synonyms identical and equal are sometimes interchangeable, but identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

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

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 equal?

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 equal
Adjective
The world could be equal for a millisecond and shifted. —Rebecca Schneid, Time, 8 Mar. 2026 Often, even having an equal partner in the picture isn’t enough to pick up the slack. —​wendy Wisner, Parents, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
This notion of the Swedish welfare state as having been built by equals, by an initial largely rural and poor population, arguably distracted these pensioners from questions of wealth accumulation. —Miranda Sheild Johansson, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026 The wealth-equals-health dynamic played out glaringly in Orange County during the pandemic. —Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
Damien equaled its first-half scoring output in the third quarter, outscoring the Saints, 19-8. —Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 8 Mar. 2026 Student in highly competitive high school learns that focusing on arts plus taking only one AP class equals an object of ridicule. —Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for equal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equal
  1. equitable
  2. identical
  3. suitable
  4. composed
  5. equivalent
  6. match
  7. mean
  8. parallel
Adjective
  • The award recognizes those who support the foundation’s mission to allow students to develop to their full potential as artists, scholars, and citizens, and to provide equitable access to arts education at the Boston Arts Academy.
    — Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Asking contract cities to absorb excessive increases to shore up County budget shortfalls is neither equitable nor sustainable.
    — Rajiv Bhateja, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Definition of equitable
Adjective
  • Yet after three straight seasons with identical point totals, 41 apiece, Strome had played in just over half the team’s games this year between injuries, illness and healthy scratches peppered into that mix of maladies.
    — Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 7 Mar. 2026
  • The teams came in with identical records – 25-5 overall and 15-3 in conference play – and the game looked virtually even with eight minutes left.
    — Ben Messinger, Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
Definition of identical
Adjective
  • There’s excellent boutique shopping, a diverse range of cuisines to sample, and lodging options suitable for any size or type of travel group.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
  • This watch is suitable for light swimming.
    — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of suitable
Adjective
  • At the same time, his tech-entrepreneur client—a longtime friend who also recently decamped from the West Coast—asked that the 2,063-square-foot bachelor pad function as a refuge: plush, composed, and calm in the middle of the city.
    — Ian Volner, Architectural Digest, 26 Feb. 2026
  • And so Ekman-Larsson elevated his game and played some of the most physical and composed hockey of his career as the Leafs stumbled.
    — Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of composed
Noun
  • Their weekly grocery bill has dropped from the equivalent of about $400 to $267; fuel and public transport are 40% cheaper; and GP visits cost 25% less – with same-day appointments replacing week-long waits.
    — Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
  • The Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team played the equivalent of a heavyweight fight to close out the 2025-26 regular season on Saturday afternoon in Columbia.
    — Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2026
Definition of equivalent
Verb
  • The data matches records of episodic droughts in Europe that may have triggered local wildfires.
    — Nidhi Sharma, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2026
  • One ever-hustling entrepreneur even developed an iPhone dating app that matches singles in public bomb shelters.
    — Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
Definition of match
Verb
  • The purchase for an undisclosed sum is meant to boost Anduril’s capabilities in space domain awareness, battle management and fire control.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The judge dismissed the charges with prejudice, meaning that the case cannot be retried.
    — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of mean
Verb
  • The book paralleled Plath’s own experiences with depression; the writer tragically died by suicide just a month after the novel’s first UK publication.
    — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
  • But perhaps the most significant factor in Krishnamoorthi’s fundraising success has been his ability to tap into a largely affluent Indian American community, whose growth and increasing political engagement — and giving — has paralleled his own rise.
    — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Definition of parallel

Browse Nearby Words

equable
equal
equaled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Equal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equal. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on equal

Nglish: Translation of equal for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of rash

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Opposite of Déjà Vu

The Words of the Week - Mar. 13

Was 'nervous Nellie' a Real Person?

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?

17 Words for Dog Breeds
See More

Popular

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

The Opposite of Déjà Vu

The Words of the Week - Mar. 13
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
book-magic-glow
Famous Novels, First Lines Quiz Can you identify these novels by their famous fir...
See All