equivalent 1 of 2

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

Relevance

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

Examples of equivalent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Until that pipeline reaches maturity, writing off these deals as failures is equivalent to throwing in the towel after the first inning with eight innings left to go. Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2024 Summer tentpole superhero team-up blockbusters typically have equal or lower budgets than this film’s pre-deductions $200 million bill, and that’s before marketing (although the studio avoided equivalent summer tentpole promotional costs, for better or worse). Mark Hughes, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024 Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. Jim Asker, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2024 The endangered and seriously declining saltwater plant is capable of removing carbon dioxide from the environment up to 35 times faster than rainforests (sequestering up to ten times as much as an equivalent area of forest), according to a 2023 Environmental Protection Agency report. Anna Fiorentino, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for equivalent 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'equivalent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near equivalent

Cite this Entry

“Equivalent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equivalent. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on equivalent

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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