tantamount

[tan-tuh-mount]

adjective

1. equivalent, as in value, force, effect, or signification.

   His angry speech was tantamount to a declaration of war.

tantamount

/ ˈtæntəˌmaʊnt /

adjective

1. as good (as); equivalent in effect (to)

   his statement was tantamount to an admission of guilt

Word History and Origins

Origin of tantamount¹

First recorded in 1635–45; adjective use of obsolete noun, “that which amounts to as much, something equivalent,” itself a noun use of an obsolete verb, “to amount to as much,” from Anglo-French tant amunter or Italian tanto montare “to amount to as much,” from Latin tantum, neuter of adjective tantus “of such size, so great”; tanto, amount

Word History and Origins

Origin of tantamount¹

C17: basically from Anglo-French tant amunter to amount to as much, from tant so much + amunter to _amount

Synonym Study

See equal.

Example Sentences

The UN had previously warned that the forcible transfer of an occupied territory's civilian population is "tantamount to ethnic cleansing".

From BBC

However the Socialist Party says it wants a total break from Macron's pro-business policies as well as a repeal of the pension reform - which would be tantamount to undoing the president's legacy.

From BBC

“A small uptick in cow’s milk intake is, obviously, not tantamount to the calamities that have been unleashed over the last six weeks in American politics,” wrote Vox’s Marina Bolotnikova back in March.

From Salon

"To some people, this is tantamount to, "we own this bit of the moon, we're going to operate here and and you can't come in"," he explains.

From BBC

The United Nations has previously described the restrictions as being tantamount to "gender apartheid".

From BBC

Related Words

• commensurate 
• identical