as

1 of 9

adverb

əz,

(ˌ)az 

1

: to the same degree or amount

as soft as silk

twice as long

2

: for instance : such as

various trees, as oak or pine

3

: when considered in a specified form or relation

—usually used before a preposition or a participle

my opinion as distinguished from his

as

2 of 9

conjunction

1

: as if

He looks as he had seen a ghost.

—Samuel Taylor Coleridge

2

: in or to the same degree in which

soft as silk

—usually used as a correlative after an adjective or adverb modified by adverbial as or so

as cool as a cucumber

3

: in the way or manner that

Do as I do.

4

: in accordance with what or the way in which

quite good as boys go

5

: while, when

spilled the milk as she got up

6

: regardless of the degree to which : though

Improbable as it seems, it's true.

7

: for the reason that : because, since

stayed home as she had no car

8

: that the result is

so clearly guilty as to leave no doubt

Like vs. as: Usage Guide

Like has been used as a conjunction in ways similar to as since the 14th century. In the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries it was used in serious literature, but not often; in the 17th and 18th centuries it grew more frequent but less literary. It became markedly more frequent in literary use again in the 19th century. By mid-century it was coming under critical fire, but not from grammarians, oddly enough, who were wrangling over whether it could be called a preposition or not. There is no doubt that, after 600 years of use, conjunctive like is firmly established. It has been used by many prestigious literary figures of the past, though perhaps not in their most elevated works; in modern use it may be found in literature, journalism, and scholarly writing. While the present objection to it is perhaps more heated than rational, someone writing in a formal prose style may well prefer to use as, as if, such as, or an entirely different construction instead.

as

3 of 9

pronoun

1

: that, who, which

—used after same or such

in the same building as my brother

… tears such as angels weep …

—John Milton

and chiefly dialect after a substantive not modified by same or such

… that kind of fruit as maids call medlars …

—William Shakespeare

2

: a fact that

is a foreigner, as is evident from his accent

as

4 of 9

preposition

1

a

: like sense 2

They all rose as one man.

b

: like sense 1a

… his face was as a mask which revealed nothing.

—Max Beerbohm

2

: in the capacity, character, condition, or role of

works as an editor

as

5 of 9

noun

ˈas 

plural asses ˈa-ˌsēz 

ˈa-səz

1

a

: a bronze coin of the ancient Roman republic

b

: a unit of value equivalent to an as coin

2

: libra sense 2a

As

6 of 9

abbreviation (1)

altostratus

As

7 of 9

symbol

arsenic

AS

8 of 9

abbreviation (2)

1

after sight

2

airspeed

3

American Samoa

4

Anglo-Saxon

5

antisubmarine

6

associate in science

as-

9 of 9

prefix

see ad-

Phrases

as is

: in the presently existing condition without modification

bought the clock at an auction as is

as it were

: as if it were so : in a manner of speaking

His retirement was, as it were, the beginning of his real career.

Synonyms

Conjunction

• so long as
• when
• while
• whilst [chiefly British]

Examples of as in a Sentence

Adverb

He was angry, but she was just as angry.

Conjunction

The letter “k” is sometimes silent, as it is in “knee.”

She spilled the milk just as she was getting up.

I met him as I was leaving.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

But for millions of new parents, medical debt is now as much a hallmark of having children as long nights and dirty diapers. —Noam Levey, NPR, 9 May 2024

These suspicions are amplified by a series of reports from plaintiffs’ lawyers reporting that employees win only about half as often in arbitration as in federal court. —Lewis L. Maltby, Fortune, 9 May 2024

Given that so many are male, one of his colleagues added, there might be a fifth as well. —Emma Goldberg Sarah Mollo-Christensen Tanya Pérez Sharon Kearney, New York Times, 9 May 2024

Founders like Alibaba’s Jack Ma and JD.com’s Richard Liu praise long working hours as vital to a tech company’s success. —Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 9 May 2024

Very large hail and possible tornadoes cannot be ruled out as more storms move into Dallas-Fort Worth as early as mid afternoon Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service Fort Worth office. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 May 2024

The decades-long fight over water rights between Native Hawaiians and corporations continues on the island as well, and is now more heated than ever before, Kiakona said. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2024

Bloomberg first reported in March on the discussions, which have included AI startup Anthropic as well. —Mark Gurman, Fortune, 27 Apr. 2024

Women's advocates see the politics of the lawsuit as well. —Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 27 Apr. 2024

Preposition

All serve as executive producers alongside Rupp, Smith, Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner, Mandy Summers, Chrissy Pietrosh and Jessica Goldstein. —Michaela Zee, Variety, 12 May 2024

These hours expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases. —Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 11 May 2024

As for perhaps one of the most impressive guest stars on IF, the Tonight Show host was surprised to see George Clooney sign on as the voice of the Spaceman. —Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 May 2024

Currently, Fieri serves as a producer on Summers’ latest venture: an Off-Broadway, one-man show called The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers, running now through June 2. —Alex Ross, Peoplemag, 11 May 2024

And more recently Gutierrez served as Maricopa County Community College District president. —Daniel Gonzalez, USA TODAY, 11 May 2024

Jackson's name was also removed from another high school in Virginia's Prince William County in 2020 that is now known as Unity Reed High School. —CBS News, 11 May 2024

Throughout, Robert Downey Jr. pops up as various characters who interact with the Captain including Claude, the Captain’s CIA contact, as well as a professor, a congressman and an auteur. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 29 Apr. 2024

The audience got a sneak peak of Mackie in the doc, both as a costumer and a fashion designer, at work on such TV shows as The Sunny and Cher Comedy Hour and RuPaul’s Drag Race. —Merle Ginsberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Apr. 2024

Noun

The perception that without European glory a top manager cannot be a success is near sickening - as is always remembered during Guardiola's time with Bayern Munich and could also be the case at the Etihad Stadium in time to come. —SI.com, 26 May 2018

CHICAGO — As was his normal postgame ritual, Jimmy Butler peered into his tidy locker stall and methodically finished dressing as a half-circle of reporters and television cameras, at least six deep, impatiently pressed up behind him. —Jeff Arnold, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Adverb, Conjunction, Pronoun, and Preposition

Middle English, from Old English eallswā likewise, just as — more at also

Noun

Latin

First Known Use

Adverb

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Conjunction

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Pronoun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

as

1 of 5 adverb

əz 

(ˌ)az

1

: to the same degree or amount

as cold as ice

a number twice as large

2

: for example

various trees, as oak or pine

as

2 of 5 conjunction

1

: in or to the same degree that

bright as day

2

: in the way or manner that

do as I say

3

: at the same time that : while, when

sang as they marched along

4

: though entry 2

improbable as it seems, it's true

5

: because, since

stayed home, as I had no car

6

: that the result is

so clearly guilty as to leave no doubt

as

3 of 5 pronoun

1

: that entry 1, who, which

—used after same or such

had the same name as my cousin

2

: a fact that

they are smart, as you know

as I said before, it's time to go

as

4 of 5 preposition

1

: like entry 4 sense 2

came dressed as a clown

2

: in the position or role of

working as an editor

as-

5 of 5

see ad-

Medical Definition

as

1 of 3 abbreviation

astigmatism

As

2 of 3 symbol

arsenic

AS

3 of 3 abbreviation

1

ankylosing spondylitis

2

aortic stenosis

3

arteriosclerosis

4

[Latin auris sinistra] left ear

—used especially in audiology and in writing medical prescriptions