Definition of identicalnext

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of identical are equal, equivalent, same, selfsame, and very. While all these words mean "not different or not differing from one another," identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

In what contexts can equal take the place of identical?

In some situations, the words equal and identical are roughly equivalent. However, equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

When is equivalent a more appropriate choice than identical?

The synonyms equivalent and identical are sometimes interchangeable, but equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

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

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 identical?

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 identical Tiffany Haddish Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key’s 2016 action comedy Keanu centers on the duo trying to save the eponymous kitten, played by seven identical rescue cats. Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Aug. 2026 There is no evidence that the ball moves more regularly down the slope than up it, with the distribution almost identical to every other venue. Ben Jones aug. 26, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Two lawyers can work identical hours in the same organization and experience their jobs in fundamentally different ways — one drained by constant conflict, another by lack of autonomy, another by isolation. Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 Bioidentical hormones are made to be chemically identical to hormones naturally produced by the body. Erin Jones, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for identical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for identical
Adjective
  • Making history is fast becoming an everyday thing for Caitlin Clark—same goes for her friend Taylor Swift.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Courts rely on consistent legal standards to ensure fairness, and businesses rely on those same principles to make investments, hire employees, and plan for the future.
    Robin Rossenfeld, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The Southwest zone in Option 3 would be similar to its zone in Option 2.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
  • For instance, a default daily time limit of two hours for users under 18 that can only be lifted by a parent, under the settlement, would drop to one hour If other social media platforms agree to similar terms.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Estimating their value is difficult as comparable pieces rarely go on public auction.
    Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Further specialist analyses will help determine whether the Kojetín hoard had a comparable significance.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Astronomers are finding that in between the brightest stars, the 'tallest skyscrapers' in the above analogy, there are much fainter stars analogous to smaller buildings.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • War weariness on the rise Ukrainian experts say the logic of hitting largely consumer targets is in part retribution for analogous Russian attacks, and that disrupted supply chains affect the military as well.
    Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Sweeny received his place through the equivalent agreement with Tennis Australia, after Alexei Popyrin, the initial recipient, got into the main draw under his own power following withdrawals.
    Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That’s equivalent to more than 5% of Russia’s gross domestic product.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Identical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/identical. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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