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

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

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
Stribing was equal parts humble, low key and polite — not at all in keeping with the image of a diva wide receiver. —Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026 First, legislative districts must be substantially equal in population. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
So first-round pick minus 95 games of usage equals, according to Adam Silver math, a second-round pick. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026 Yet given the power differential between China and Canada—or, for that matter, between China and any NATO ally other than the United States—such a partnership will not be among equals. —Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
The length of a brick plus one mortar joint in the USA is supposed to equal 8 inches. —Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026 The Glycemic Index Trap A common misconception is that lower glycemic index (GI) equals healthier. —Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for equal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equal
  1. equitable
  2. identical
  3. suitable
  4. composed
  5. equivalent
  6. match
  7. mean
  8. parallel
Adjective
  • The Healthy School Food Pathway Fellowship is designed to empower experienced school nutrition leaders to create healthier, more sustainable K-12 meal programs centered around scratch cooking and equitable food access.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • In the mid-1970s, when competitive girls sports teams were reinstated at Salinas, the yearbooks started to give them more equitable and respectful treatment.
    — Michael A Messner, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
Definition of equitable
Adjective
  • Within the first camp, which was preserved because the Romans built a road over it, archaeologists discovered two identical groups of rooms adjacent to a larger one that contained a hearth, according to a press release.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
  • In it, a thin wooden beam with two lead balls on its ends was suspended from a wire at its center and then a structure that had heavier lead balls and was otherwise identical was stacked on top of the first beam.
    — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
Definition of identical
Adjective
  • This will require recurring cost, however, making the recurring purchase of purified water for a filterless humidifier is just as suitable a solution.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
  • It should be noted that maples or any other plants that require regular moisture and protection from summer sun are most suitable for container growing.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of suitable
Adjective
  • McIlroy overcame some early inconsistency to put together a composed round, while Burns leaned on excellent ball-striking to match him at the top.
    — Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Before Tuesday night, Konate had looked much more composed and commanding.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Definition of composed
Noun
  • There is no equivalent on Chinese sets, where directors have been known to demonstrate the blocking themselves.
    — Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • At an annual income of $31,200, the general annual equivalent of a $15 per hour salary, in Roanoke, the cost of living is 47% lower than in Arlington, according to a Forbes cost of living calculator.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 25 Apr. 2026
Definition of equivalent
Verb
  • Decked out in matching Route 66 button-up shirts that featured a map of the iconic road, the married couple set out on a road trip to celebrate the centennial.
    — Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
  • In scenes where Yura remembers her childhood and its connection to the beast, the animation takes on a gauzier, more primitive style that matches the film’s more cosmic, oceanic themes.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 1 May 2026
Definition of match
Verb
  • That means ballots are set and in some states early and absentee voting has already begun.
    — Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
  • British monarchs are subject to rules and norms meant to prevent them from taking overtly political stands.
    — Emma Caughlan, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of mean
Verb
  • The on-set archetypes of a Chinese film crew paralleled those of Hollywood.
    — Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Yes, there was something in the season four finale that eerily paralleled the real world and was very much connected to myself.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Definition of parallel

Browse Nearby Words

equable
equal
equaled
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Cite this Entry

“Equal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equal. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on equal

Nglish: Translation of equal for Spanish Speakers

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