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 Engineers must preserve identical form, fit, and function. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2026 In an Ipsos poll conducted last week just after the launch of Artemis II, US adults say, 62% to 34%, that the benefits of NASA sending people into space are worth the costs, with nearly identical levels of support among both parties. Ariel Edwards-Levy, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026 This cashmere pick looks nearly identical to the navy style Paltrow wore with cargo trouser shorts. Ali Faccenda, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026 The gray plastic case is identical to the G1's charging case, with a flexible flip-open cover and a trapezoidal profile. Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for identical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for identical
Adjective
  • In that same time, environmental enforcement actions have collapsed.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
  • But bad actors have learned to weaponize that same amendment as a shield, flooding the information ecosystem with content designed to discreetly destabilize our communities.
    Julian Baron, Baltimore Sun, 19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The administration’s own projections show a $23 billion gap between income and outgo for 2026-27 and similar gaps for the following two years if nothing is done.
    Dan Walters, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Many assume its American branch is a similar money pit.
    Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • And, no doubt, women in the original 1920s audience presumably had comparable lustful desires as the pair on stage; this was hardly the only Coward comedy of its era to be used for foreplay.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
  • And, no doubt, women in the original 1920s audience presumably had comparable lustful desires as the pair on stage.
    Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • These are not real feelings, Anthropic’s researchers emphasized, but patterns in the model’s neural activations that guide its responses, shaping decisions, preferences, and outputs in ways loosely analogous to human emotions.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Compared to last year, arrests were down 14% citywide over an analogous 30-day spring break period, according to Miami Beach police.
    Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • One step is to look at changes over shorter periods than a year and convert them to an equivalent annual rate.
    Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Schwartz slashed his price target to $130 from $175, equivalent to 35% upside for the stock.
    Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Identical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/identical. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

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