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
Between the huge practical sets and stunts, the matte paintings and in-camera trickery, the on-location filming, and a leading man at the height of his movie star powers, Spielberg and his team performed the filmmaking equivalent of wizardry. Frank Deruggiero, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026 That would be the equivalent of LeBron James (six foot nine inches) leaping 540 feet into the air. Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026
Adjective
The deal will fill the container up to 400 ounces, which is equivalent to two extra-large popcorns, per Cinemark. Julia Gomez, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026 The yield on French 10-year bonds was about 88 basis points above equivalent German yields, nearing the highest spread since Europe’s debt crisis in 2012. Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for equivalent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equivalent
Noun
  • And, unlike most of its democratic counterparts, the United States has never had a female head of state.
    Gloria Steinem, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
  • According to this rule, the body color of animals is darker in hot and humid climates than that of their counterparts in colder climates.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • But with the important exception of Somalia and large parts of West Africa, jihadi groups have not managed a mobilization comparable with the ones after the 2003 Iraq War or during the rise of the Islamic State.
    Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Ministerial salaries had increasingly fallen behind comparable earnings in the private sector and civil service, making a review necessary, Wong said.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The system administrator should have different capabilities than a patrol officer.
    Irene Wright, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Chaparral features interchangeable cargo pods, enabling operators to adapt the aircraft for different missions without altering its core platform.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In South Korea, Chipotle and its local partner built a supply chain designed to meet the company’s global food quality standards.
    Jenny Lee, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Yet the region remains less than the sum of its parts, argued Edward Au, southern region managing partner for Deloitte China, who joined Che on the panel.
    Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • That suggests the possibility of traffic strategies targeting such neighborhoods, analogous to child safety efforts focused on schools and their surroundings.
    Paula Span, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • This event is analogous to one geologists observed in 2021, known as the Chamoli disaster in India.
    Thor Benson, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Blue laws in Arkansas included bans on card games, hunting, horse racing and other activities on Sundays.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The back end should be able to move the puck better and avoid long stretches in their own end, and assuming relative health, other players like Braden Schneider will no longer have to play too high in the lineup.
    Peter Baugh, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Newlight projects annual savings of roughly $500,000 for similar ships.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • German power infrastructure has previously been affected under similar circumstances.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 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 10 Sep. 2026.

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