equal
Americanadjective
-
as great as; the same as (often followed by to orwith ).
The velocity of sound is not equal to that of light.
-
like or alike in quantity, degree, value, etc.; of the same rank, ability, merit, etc..
two students of equal brilliance.
- Synonyms:
- correspondent, coordinate, commensurate, proportionate
- Antonyms:
- different
-
evenly proportioned or balanced.
an equal contest.
-
uniform in operation or effect.
equal laws.
-
adequate or sufficient in quantity or degree.
The supply is equal to the demand.
-
having adequate ability, means, or other characteristics: Their English boots were not equal to the rigors of a Canadian winter.
He was equal to the task.
Their English boots were not equal to the rigors of a Canadian winter.
- Antonyms:
- inadequate
-
tranquil or undisturbed.
to confront death with an equal mind.
-
impartial or equitable.
-
Archaic. having an even surface; level.
the treeless, equal plains.
noun
-
equals
plural
verb (used with object)
-
equals,
present (3rd person singular)
-
equaled,
past participle, past
-
equalled,
past participle, past (especially British)
-
equaling,
present participle
-
equalling
present participle (especially British)
-
to be or become equal to; meet or match.
So far the rate of production doesn't equal the demand.
If A equals B and B equals C, then A equals C.
-
to make or do something equal to.
No matter how he tries, he can't equal his brother's achievements.
-
Archaic. to make equal; equalize.
-
Obsolete. to recompense fully.
adjective
-
identical in size, quantity, degree, intensity, etc; the same (as)
-
having identical privileges, rights, status, etc
all men are equal before the law
-
having uniform effect or application
equal opportunities
-
evenly balanced or proportioned
the game was equal between the teams
-
(usually foll by to) having the necessary or adequate strength, ability, means, etc (for)
to be equal to one's work
-
another word for equivalent
noun
verb
-
(tr) to be equal to; correspond to; match
my offer equals his
-
to become equal or level
-
(tr) to make, perform, or do something equal to
to equal the world record
-
archaic (tr) to make equal
Usage
See unique.
The use of more equal as in from now on their relationship will be a more equal one is acceptable in modern English usage. Equally is preferred to equally as in sentences such as reassuring the victims is equally important. Just as is preferred to equally as in sentences such as their surprise was just as great as his
Synonym Usage
Equal, equivalent, tantamount imply a correspondence between two or more things. Equal indicates a correspondence in all respects or in a particular respect: A dime is equal to 10 cents (that is, in purchasing power). Equivalent indicates a correspondence in one or more respects, but not in all: An egg is said to be the equivalent of a pound of meat in nutritive value. Tantamount, a word of limited application, is used of immaterial things that are equivalent: The prisoner's refusal to answer was tantamount to an admission of guilt.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
nonequaladjective
-
quasi-equaladjective
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subequaladjective
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equallyadverb
-
quasi-equallyadverb
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subequallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
equalsimple
-
equalssimple
-
have equaledperfect
-
have equalledperfect
-
has equaledperfect
-
has equalledperfect
-
am equalingprogressive
-
am equallingprogressive
-
are equalingprogressive
-
are equallingprogressive
-
is equalingprogressive
-
is equallingprogressive
-
have been equalingperfect progressive
-
have been equallingperfect progressive
-
has been equalingperfect progressive
-
has been equallingperfect progressive
Past
-
equaledsimple
-
equalledsimple
-
had equaledperfect
-
had equalledperfect
-
was equalingprogressive
-
was equallingprogressive
-
were equalingprogressive
-
were equallingprogressive
-
had been equalingperfect progressive
-
had been equallingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of equal
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English adjective from Latin aequālis “equal, like,” equivalent to aequ(us) “even, plain, just” + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Things that are the same size or have the same traits are said to be equal. When it comes to people, being equal means everyone has the same rights and opportunities — and responsibilities. When two or more things are level or balanced, they are said to be equal. This balance can refer to volume, weight, or quantity, or any other trait being compared. In a contest in which each side has the same chance of winning, the match is said to be equal. And when a person is considered at the same level with another in some respect, he or she is said to be that person's equal.
Vocabulary lists containing equal
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 1
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Geometry - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"I want everyone to be able to use the bathroom on an equal footing. Either we all pay 50 cents or no one pays 50 cents," she said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
This pattern could influence shopping decisions, habits, and recurring routines, especially when people continue choosing familiar options despite the availability of equal or better alternatives.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026
Crossing the line in 44.17 seconds, the 31-year-old secured his eighth podium at the championships to equal French sprinter Christophe Lemaitre's men's record medal tally.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
He directs Attorney General Todd Blanche to challenge state laws that conflict with “parental authority, religious freedom, disability accommodations, and equal protection under the law.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
With the Brown decision, Colored people obtained a much-needed boost in our long fight for an equal education—in theory at least.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
For one fan, $45 for Dodger Stadium parking plus $40 for early entry equals $85 for a JTB shuttle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
Amazingly, the result of this weak measurement of dwell time, when the photon goes straight through the cloud, exactly equals the negative time suggested by the photons’ average arrival time.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
Looked at another way, adjusting $100,000 in the late 1990s for inflation also equals roughly $210,000 today.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Putin’s visit came just days after Xi had met President Trump in the Chinese capital in a summit both sides staged as one of equals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Shrewdly, they try to shift the terms of the argument to more congenial rhetorical ground—an approach that will force the friars to treat them as equals.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
He entertained mass audiences so successfully that his murder mysteries, spy sagas and innocent-man-accused tales became their own genre: the Alfred Hitchcock Movie, often imitated but never equaled.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
I doubt whether this production, impeccably directed by Joe Mantello, could be equaled.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
The latter equaled about 8% of revenue in the most recent quarter.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
For the game, he missed 12 of 19 shots, four of six three-point attempts, had zero offensive rebounds and equaled a team-low with a minus-24 in 33 fewer minutes.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026
The first tragic plays, which are among the best there are, never equaled except by Shakespeare, were produced in the theater of Dionysus.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Messi equalled Telmo Zarra's 251-goal mark - set in 1955 by the Athletic Club forward - with a free-kick, before breaking it and stretching it with a third.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
We have now had 10 days with temperatures over 34C, beating the previous record of seven set in 1976 and equalled in 2020.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The 26-year-old equalled her best time of the season as Kayla White finished second with 10.90 and Tamari Davis third in 11.00.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
A shot further back is their compatriot Sam Burns, who equalled the low score in a major when he posted an eight-under par 62 to get to five under, minutes after leader Herbert's.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
The improvement I would have made in years of playing tennis in the ghetto would not have equalled the improvement I made in those eight weeks with the squad.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
It was the second time that Pegula has reached the quarterfinals of the British tournament, only to fall at that hurdle, equaling the progress she made at Wimbledon in 2023.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
In 2024, 14.8% of the US population was foreign-born – an amount equaling the historical peak in 1890, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
The annual rate of inflation in May was 0.6%, the same as in April, equaling its highest level since December 2024, Swiss data agency FSO said Thursday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
Capital spending guidance for the five largest cloud companies is approximately $650 billion, equaling the spending by the rest of the Russell 3000 excluding utilities.
From Barron's ● Feb. 9, 2026
Altogether, his craft was a work of great skill, and Nhamo despaired of equaling it.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
France boss Didier Deschamps is one win away from equalling the record for most wins as a manager at the World Cup.
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026
Liverpool's 20th title, equalling Manchester United, was a cause of rejoicing from their global fanbase.
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
He is just 10 caps away from equalling Dalglish's record of 102.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
Bank on those equalling 1% to 3% of your property’s value, or more.
From MarketWatch ● May 11, 2026
She was a big woman, in stature almost equalling her husband, and corpulent besides: she showed virile force in the contest—more than once she almost throttled him, athletic as he was.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
