Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of same are equal, equivalent, identical, selfsame, and very. While all these words mean "not different or not differing from one another," 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

In what contexts can equal take the place of same?

Although the words equal and same have much in common, equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

When could equivalent be used to replace same?

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

two houses equivalent in market value

When might identical be a better fit than same?

While in some cases nearly identical to same, identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

How is very related to other words for same?

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 same In that same spirit, The Athletic is here to help. Joseph Person, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025 Perhaps Israel can use some of that same ingenuity to more effectively fight the information war in the media, especially on social media? Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 That same day, ICE officials filed an immigration detainer against him. Michael Dorgan , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025 Flight 11 will target those same two splashdown zones, and Ship will aim to deploy another eight mock Starlinks, SpaceX wrote in Monday's update. Mike Wall, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for same
Recent Examples of Synonyms for same
Adjective
  • Luckily, the brand also makes this pair, which looks almost identical to hers and is a cool $60 off.
    Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Connection differences aside, the two Bio keys look identical, which is a common theme among the Yubico keys, which tend to be small, sleek, and black, with gold metallic accents.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • One of the night’s highlights came at the very end, after the band took their final bows, waved, and left the stage.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
  • His digits, his body, his very skin remind him of Nazis, and of American troops posing with the corpses of Vietnamese victims.
    Rebecca van Laer September 30, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Police asked Arfsten about similar thefts and damage at area Pick ‘n Save locations in the area.
    Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • There was a similar effort in the build-up to Bukayo Saka’s goal against Leeds United which, again, won’t count as an assist despite its importance.
    Art de Roché, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Minnesota and Illinois are considering bills that would grant rideshare workers comparable collective bargaining powers.
    Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Paying homage to this history, the 2025 iteration’s Chemigum outsole is oil-resistant, and its roughout leather is much more resilient than the comparable suede, though with a similar underhand feel.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Deliveries are up 8% versus the analogous stretch in 2024, and while some of those gains may be attributed to the adjustments made to the ratings currency, the league has capitalized on a schedule that ensured maximal exposure for the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs and … Detroit Lions.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • There’s an analogous cool-verging-on-blasé lyrical delivery set off by animalesque saxophones.
    Rumaan Alam, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Same.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/same. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on same

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