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 Launched in 2021, IXPE carries three identical telescopes designed to measure the polarization of high-energy X-rays. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026 The content remained identical, but attendance immediately became more engaged because employees could no longer operate on autopilot. Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026 The mission carried two identical torsos, nicknamed Helga and Zohar, adapted from radiotherapy dosimetry phantoms already used in cancer treatment planning. Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026 For starters, this special trim is mechanically identical to the $19,999 standard model, which launched earlier this year. New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for identical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for identical
Adjective
  • Once a film is actually on the shelf, that same audience interest becomes data a filmmaker can use.
    Joshua Encinias, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
  • That same year, Panettiere stood alongside Senator John Kerry for a joint press conference on Capitol Hill to urge the government for strong leadership in opposing commercial whaling and protecting marine life.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Side effects were similar to other vaccines that people typically get for other diseases, Healy noted.
    Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Both would likely keep Ukraine moving in a similar direction.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Target is emerging from more than a year of weak or declining comparable sales.
    CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Putting all those aspects together, the country most comparable to Russia, both historically and in the contemporary moment, is not Turkey or Iran but the United States.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 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
  • State energy officials say modestly higher upfront tire costs — about $26 more per set — will be outweighed by fuel savings, cutting drivers’ expenses and emissions equivalent to 400,000 cars annually.
    Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Accepted sources include government or corporate pension plans, or Social Security payments of at least 1,000 Panamanian balboa (directly equivalent to $1,000, according to Panama’s public security ministry).
    Brittany Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Identical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/identical. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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