Definition of equalnext
1
2
3
4

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

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
The single-level home has four bedrooms and an equal number bathrooms in roughly 3,200 square feet. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2026 This retelling proves that by the mid-’50s, Krasner is Pollock’s equal and deserved to be see on her own. — John Yau, ARTnews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Noun
Young and old can learn from each other, not as mentors and mentees, but as equals. — Gloria Steinem, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026 This is a partnership of equals—not in the size of our populations, but in the depth of our commitments. — Naftali Bennett, Time, 9 July 2026
Verb
That equaled their longest drought since winning their first championship in 1923, a gap between titles in 1978 and '96. — CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 That equaled their longest drought since winning their first championship in 1923, a gap between titles in 1978 and ’96. — Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for equal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equal
Adjective
  • Since Elon Musk’s purchase of the platform in 2022, the founder has publicly stated that his goal is to make the app’s algorithm — and people’s feeds — free of political bias and more equitable for conservative posters.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2026
  • My why for Thirteen Lune was to help to make the beauty industry more equitable and inclusive, but from the lens of a founder.
    — Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Last year, an investigation by Consumer Reports, Groundwork Collaborative and More Perfect Union found that shoppers on Instacart were shown different prices for identical products at the same stores.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • To test their hypothesis, the team set up their system in one of three identical chicken houses at the same commercial chicken farm in Sakarya.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The aircraft will declare an emergency with air traffic control, then autonomously fly to the nearest suitable airport, communicate with air traffic control, and safely land, bringing the plane to a full stop and shutting down the engine.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Sydney Sweeney delivered a suitable transitional look for a warmer-than-usual autumn that New Yorkers are experiencing.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The British singer, 27, composed and co-wrote the lyrics with Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang, according to the song credits on Spotify.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The Emma style, a more composed and sensible block-heel pump, is for Elinor (Edgar-Jones).
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Unfortunately, the government then spends the equivalent of 24% of GDP on its various programs.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Sceye’s platform carried the equivalent of a 4G LTE base station for the demonstration, which simulated providing backup coverage in the case of an earthquake or similar large-scale disaster.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But on closer inspection, the radiation pattern didn’t seem to quite match that of a nuke.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The signage gap matches recent polling, which shows Talarico, a four-term state representative, either tied or several points ahead of Paxton, who has never lost an election in 25 years.
    — Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • For a trailer covering 100,000 miles annually, that could mean approximately USD 1,854 in yearly fuel savings.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • That means studying GRBs may tell us about how these elements originated.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • As investor interest in non-sports cards and TCGs keeps growing, the market has developed an ecosystem that parallels traditional exchanges, indexes and brokers.
    — Bob Woods, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The recipes parallel Wen's evolution from immigrant kid helping out at her parents' restaurant to working actor cooking for her own children.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Equal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equal. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster