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 That same team mentality shown by Arkansas’ players is what has made this summer so distinguished. Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 1 Aug. 2025 That same package sent via FedEx or UPS enjoys no such constitutional protection. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025 Beyond the many outdoor concerts are events like the Ozark Folk Festival the first weekend of September, followed by a classic car show that same weekend, then the annual Corvette weekend, Oktoberfest, and a craft fair. Ashlea Halpern, AFAR Media, 1 Aug. 2025 About half of those same owners and top executives said that the economy was headed in the right direction, and 40% in the wrong direction. Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for same
Recent Examples of Synonyms for same
Adjective
  • Recent studies show that unemployment rates for men aged 22 to 27 with or without college degrees are nearly identical.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 26 July 2025
  • No two rooms are ever identical and each location is engrained in its individual neighborhood, with Blind Tiger being no different.
    Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2025
Adjective
  • After screening a new Gen V season 2 trailer packed with The Boys crossovers and some new casting, Amazon's Comic-Con panel in Ballroom 20 on Friday afternoon left one major reveal for the very end: the first teaser trailer for the fifth and final season of the mothership series.
    EW.com, EW.com, 26 July 2025
  • Large, complex, thousand-page bills often hide provisions that aren't just wasteful, but dangerous to the very foundation of our republic.
    Kevin Sabet, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
Adjective
  • While geese and sandhill cranes have similar parenting styles, allowing their hatchlings to be fairly independent, Lacy noted unique challenges that come with this unusual family dynamic.
    Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 31 July 2025
  • But ultimately, Ford was plagued with special charges including $570 million related to a recall and a similar amouth for canceling an electric vehicle.
    Jamie L. LaReau, Freep.com, 31 July 2025
Adjective
  • While midsize data centers typically use 300,000 gallons daily, comparable to consumption by 1,000 households, large-scale facilities such as those recently built or planned in Texas can consume as much as 4.5 million gallons daily.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Bangladesh and Sri Lanka now face 20 percent, down from the earlier 37 percent and 47 percent and now comparable to that for Vietnam’s 20 percent announced in July.
    Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Rounding off the league’s national TV offerings is TBS, which is averaging 358,000 viewers per outing with its non-exclusive Tuesday night telecasts, good for a 17% lift compared to the analogous period in 2024.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 14 July 2025
  • The judge found that California did not present evidence of any historically analogous laws, finding that the laws the state did cite were not similar enough.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2025

Cite this Entry

“Same.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/same. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on same

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