equal 1 of 3

adjective

ˈē-kwəl How to pronounce equal (audio)
Definition of equalnext
1
as in equitable
marked by justice, honesty, and freedom from bias the basic belief that everyone is entitled to equal opportunity in employment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in identical
resembling another in every respect as far as I can see, except for the high price, the store-brand jacket is equal to the jacket with the designer label

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in suitable
having the required skills for an acceptable level of performance looking for someone equal to the challenge of running a large state university

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in composed
free from emotional or mental agitation he proceeded, in an equal tone, to recount the terrible events of the day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

equal

2 of 3

noun

as in equivalent
one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value a basketball player who truly has no equal in his sport

Synonyms & Similar Words

equal

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to match
to produce something equal to (as in quality or value) no one has equaled Shakespeare's plays

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to mean
to be the same in meaning or effect being confined to home for a whole weekend would equal a death sentence in the minds of a lot of teens

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to parallel
to be the exact counterpart of in the British system a public school equals an American prep school

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of equal are equivalent, identical, same, selfsame, and very. While all these words mean "not different or not differing from one another," equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

When might equivalent be a better fit than equal?

In some situations, the words equivalent and equal are roughly equivalent. However, equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

When is identical a more appropriate choice than equal?

The synonyms identical and equal are sometimes interchangeable, but identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

How are the words same and selfsame related as synonyms of equal?

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 equal?

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 equal
Adjective
Set to be the second American team on the grid, Cadillac joins at a crucial time as F1 enters a new era of regulations in 2026, where cars will be powered by an equal ratio of electric power to internal combustion through sustainable fuels. —Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025 One study published in 1993 followed 24 dogs who were divided into two equal groups, one group wore cotton underpants and the other polyester. —Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2025
Noun
The message seems clear: Leo’s papacy proposes a discipleship of equals. —Raúl E. Zegarra, Time, 17 May 2025 Russia is the junior partner to the more powerful China, which is the world's second-largest economy, though Moscow is keen to present it as a relationship of equals. —Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
Verb
This year, National Doughnut Day falls on 6/6, which equals a dozen! —Rachel Flynn, People.com, 2 June 2025 Using this algorithm with hand computations on paper, Lucas showed in 1876 that the 39-digit number (2127 - 1) equals 170,141,183,460,469,231,731,687,303,715,884,105,727, and that value is prime. Also known as M127, this number remains the largest prime verified by hand computations. —Jeremiah Bartz, The Conversation, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for equal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equal
  1. equitable
  2. identical
  3. suitable
  4. composed
  5. match
  6. mean
  7. parallel
  8. impartial
Adjective
  • These days — at least on Friday nights — the space offers musicians an equitable spotlight.
    — Erick Galindo, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
  • The result is a more agile, inclusive and resilient workforce where employees have equitable access to growth.
    — Abakar Saidov, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Definition of equitable
Adjective
  • Jane's testimony, which is likely to continue deep into next week, is identical in many ways to the four-day testimony in the trial's first week by Cassie.
    — MICHAEL R. SISAK, Arkansas Online, 8 June 2025
  • Over all, Lee said, the album is an almost identical remake of the original—a technically difficult task to pull off.
    — Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
Definition of identical
Adjective
  • Housing advocates have cautioned that federal land is not universally suitable for affordable housing.
    — Matthew Brown, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
  • Investments in securities entail risk and are not suitable for all investors.
    — Andrew Rosen, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Definition of suitable
Adjective
  • Prince Harry arrived at the Court of Appeal about an hour ahead of the hearing, appearing calm and composed.
    — Simon Perry, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The Mexican side looked more composed in the second half, creating more scoring opportunities, especially after Sarah Luebbert (former Chicago Red Stars and University of Missouri standout) came on as a substitute and threatened Gotham’s defense.
    — Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Definition of composed
Verb
  • The singer donned a completely sheer Ludovic de Saint Sernin gown to promote her new record on Wednesday, June 4, at Rockefeller Center in New York City, accentuating her chic look with matching black underwear and no bra in a risqué, NSFW Instagram post.
    — Jay Stahl, USA Today, 7 June 2025
  • That matches Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar as the fastest active defenseman to that mark.
    — Michael Russo, New York Times, 7 June 2025
Definition of match
Verb
  • This is what 42% containment means Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line.
    — CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 14 June 2025
  • This means not only the initial exposure but also later decisions —like removal – can increase cancer risks.
    — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Definition of mean
Verb
  • The show uses everything from patriotic rallies to kids’ puppet shows to an ice-skating performance branded with the name of the omnipresent corporation Vought International to parallel real life.
    — Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
  • New Mexico's two-lane Highway 9 parallels the border about three miles to the north.
    — Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 2 June 2025
Definition of parallel
Adjective
  • While Congress sets the CBO’s priorities, the group prides itself on being objective, impartial, and nonpartisan.
    — Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • Her expertise lies in building boards with the right balance of domain expertise and impartial oversight, ensuring alignment between governance and investor confidence.
    — Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 5 June 2025
Definition of impartial

Browse Nearby Words

equable
equal
equaled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Equal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equal. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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