variants
or levelling
1
as in balancing
to make equal in amount, degree, or status
we'll give both teams the same equipment so as to level the playing field
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smoothing
to make free from breaks, curves, or bumps
the construction workers leveled the ground before laying a foundation for the new house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aiming
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
the marksman leveled his gun at the target and fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in dropping
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
the boxer leveled his opponent with a single blow
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in demolishing
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces
an old warehouse that was leveled to build a parking lot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leveling
Others chided Pattie Gonia for leveling the accusation against Patagonia, a company considered by many as a leader in sustainability, without painting a full picture of the case.
—
Brittany Peterson, Fortune, 12 June 2026
That might be done by filling it with debris from hospital construction and graded earth or by leveling it with parking structures that would support an elevated ground floor.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
The bombings literally created a firestorm, levelling between 85 to 99 percent of the town, with what was left continuing to burn for days.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
That ability moves towards leveling the playing field between businesses of different sizes, increases efficiency for all firms, and super charges competition to the benefit of consumers.
—Jessica Melugin, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
How technology is leveling the playing field Automation has enabled small businesses to step up their recruiting efforts.
—Audrey Payne, CNBC, 29 May 2026
Violent storms spawned destructive tornadoes over the weekend, leveling homes and sending trees and power lines flying through the air.
—Rob Marciano, CBS News, 18 May 2026
The hosts rode on a 137 from Mushfiqur Rahim to put on 390 in the second innings, setting Pakistan the 400-plus target for a series-leveling victory.
—ABC News, 18 May 2026
San Antonio stretched its lead to as many as 47 points on the way to leveling the series at one game apiece.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Brittany Peterson, Fortune, 12 June 2026
That might be done by filling it with debris from hospital construction and graded earth or by leveling it with parking structures that would support an elevated ground floor.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
The bombings literally created a firestorm, levelling between 85 to 99 percent of the town, with what was left continuing to burn for days.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
That ability moves towards leveling the playing field between businesses of different sizes, increases efficiency for all firms, and super charges competition to the benefit of consumers.
—Jessica Melugin, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
How technology is leveling the playing field Automation has enabled small businesses to step up their recruiting efforts.
—Audrey Payne, CNBC, 29 May 2026
Violent storms spawned destructive tornadoes over the weekend, leveling homes and sending trees and power lines flying through the air.
—Rob Marciano, CBS News, 18 May 2026
The hosts rode on a 137 from Mushfiqur Rahim to put on 390 in the second innings, setting Pakistan the 400-plus target for a series-leveling victory.
—ABC News, 18 May 2026
San Antonio stretched its lead to as many as 47 points on the way to leveling the series at one game apiece.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leveling
Verb
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While savings remain important, that logic becomes increasingly incomplete in environments where organizations are balancing resilience, innovation, speed and operational flexibility simultaneously.—
Prajkta Waditwar,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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From nostalgic jelly sandals to sporty soccer inspired pieces, this summer’s biggest fashion trends are all about balancing comfort with personality.—
Casey DelBasso,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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For styling, blow-dry with a flat brush or finish with a smoothing hair oil or serum to give it a little extra polish.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
4 Dec. 2025
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Luna and Johnson eventually came to a deal on vote pairing, smoothing relations for the time being.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Launched on August 1, 2025, by MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) and fellow creator Mark Rober, #TeamWater is a sweeping philanthropic campaign aiming to raise $40 million by the end of August to bring clean water to 2 million people across the globe.—
Ian Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Transitioning out of production work and aiming to retire, Adler pivoted unexpectedly into acting beginning in the early ’90s.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Start by dropping one to three drops of your bronzing product onto the back of your hand.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
11 Dec. 2025
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Favre’s in-laws filled their tags that same day — his brother-in-law, Josh, shot a jaw-dropping buck that scored well enough to make the book.—
John B. Snow,
Outdoor Life,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Phase one, tentatively scheduled for June 2026 to August 2027, includes demolishing several buildings, upgrading library fire alarms and readying central campus for construction.—
Gqlshare,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Dec. 2025
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The demolition proposal went before the historic preservation commission under the city’s review rules, which call for taking a closer look before demolishing older buildings that could be historic and considering alternatives or options for reuse.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Israel and the United States condemned the move, accusing the court of equating Israeli leaders with Hamas terrorists.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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That can create anxiety for organizations used to equating leadership with constant availability.—
Henrik Totterman,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Grant asks Chris about the boxing gloves now for sale in the night store, but Katie forestalls him by running over and grabbing them, nearly flattening Chris.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
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The ambition is to ensure that AI reflects the identity of the organisation using it, rather than flattening those differences.—
Heather Farmbrough,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Cibrowski is said to be casting a wide net for talent, one of these people says, and is eager to bring in someone familiar with being on TV and with experience as a host.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
11 June 2026
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Federal audits would, instead of protecting elections, allow a conspiracy theory to be weaponized into a way to keep legal voters from casting their ballot.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leveling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leveling. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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