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

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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
Adjective
That's about 17 miles above sea level - equivalent to Earth's stratosphere. Bill Chappell, NPR, 27 May 2025 The game offers a food comparison equivalent to the calories. Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 27 May 2025 In 1992, the year before Clinton and his economic team gathered in the Roosevelt Room, the annual deficit was 4.5 per cent of G.D.P., and the total federal debt held by the public amounted to 46.3 per cent of G.D.P. Last year, the equivalent figures were 6.3 per cent and 96.2 per cent. John Cassidy, New Yorker, 26 May 2025 Here, 15 of the softest sheets that will convince you that crawling into bed at 9 p.m. is equivalent to self-care. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for equivalent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equivalent
Noun
  • The French president met with his Indonesian counterpart on Wednesday as Emmanuel Macron continued his weeklong trip to Southeast Asia focused on strengthening regional ties in an increasingly unstable global landscape.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 May 2025
  • Officials started making calls to counterparts Wednesday night to emphasize that, in their minds, nothing had changed and that process and urgency should be maintained.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 May 2025
Adjective
  • In fact, no other project of the past half century comes to mind that is comparable to Orozco’s work of the past three decades, with its the complex and contradictory morphologies, operations, materials, and sites.
    Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025
  • Setup time should be comparable to that of a standalone instant-pitch screen room, which will also require staking out in windy conditions.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • In biology, sometimes many different molecules can do the same job.
    Philip Ball, Wired News, 8 June 2025
  • Granted, the level of opponents was different this time around, but still, there is a risk this could be considered a setback.
    Manuel Veth, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • What remain enduringly relevant are the book’s insights into the nature of design innovation, which Jencks described as analogous to biological evolution, a constant flow of emergent, divergent, and convergent streams.
    Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 1 June 2025
  • In our model, the flow of traffic over a network of roads is analogous to the flow of fluids over a surface—motions that are governed by the laws of fluid dynamics.
    Steve Nadis, Wired News, 1 June 2025
Adjective
  • The wide-ranging punishments for such sinful behavior could include a prohibition on wearing gold and other precious jewelry, as well as large tithes to monastic orders and the poor.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 June 2025
  • Manage stress: Try breathing exercises or meditation to relieve stress. Reduce screen time: Take breaks from computers, phones, and other devices.
    Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Here are Material: There are several silk and silk alternative fabrics to choose from, but our list consists of pure mulberry silk, bamboo varieties, and satin that all have a similar look and feel.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 May 2025
  • This argument is similar to those made by Sam Altman, who has argued that OpenAI needs to unveil ChatGPT and other cutting-edge tools as fast as possible in order to show the public the power of the technology.
    Andrew R. Chow, Time, 31 May 2025
Adjective
  • In a typical employer-employee relationship, the employer pays a portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes, and the employee pays a corresponding portion.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • In recent weeks, Trump administration officials have been publicizing Abrego Garcia's interactions with police over the years, despite a lack of corresponding criminal charges.
    Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • In the Coastal Commission’s letter to the mayor, the agency also requested that the city explore alternative ways to fund the maintenance of the fire rings and public restrooms.
    Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2025
  • If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas.
    Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 7 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Equivalent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equivalent. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

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