equalize

American  

[ee-kwuh-lahyz] / ˈi kwəˌlaɪz /

especially British, equalise

verb (used with object)

• equalizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• equalized,
  past participle,  past
• equalizing
  present participle

1. to make equal.

   to equalize tax burdens.

2. to make uniform.

   to equalize a rate of production.

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equalize British  

/ ˈiːkwəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to make equal or uniform; regularize

2. (intr) (in sports) to reach the same score as one's opponent or opponents

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• equalization
  noun
• nonequalization
  noun
• unequalize
  verb (used with object)
• nonequalized
  adjective
• nonequalizing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• equalizing
  present
• equalized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• equalize
  simple
• equalizes
  simple
• have equalized
  perfect
• has equalized
  perfect
• am equalizing
  progressive
• are equalizing
  progressive
• is equalizing
  progressive
• have been equalizing
  perfect progressive
• has been equalizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• equalized
  simple
• had equalized
  perfect
• was equalizing
  progressive
• were equalizing
  progressive
• had been equalizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will equalize
  simple
• will have equalized
  perfect
• will be equalizing
  progressive
• will have been equalizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of equalize

First recorded in 1580–90; equal + -ize

Explanation

To equalize is to make sure something is shared evenly or uniformly. You might try to equalize how much cake each party guest gets by slicing it into identical pieces. When you equalize, you're attempting to make things equal, a word with a Latin root that means "even, fair, or equitable." This can be done on a small scale, like when parents feel they have to buy an additional gift for one of their children in order to equalize everyone's Christmas presents. It's also done on a larger scale, with whole industries pushed to equalize pay for workers or cities to equalize educational opportunities for kids.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

equalize equalizes equalized equalizing

It’s relatively easy to equalize the inheritance for your sons, even if you make gifts during your lifetime.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 12, 2026

To equalize its share with the US dollar, gold prices would need to rise to $5,790 per ounce, assuming no change in gold holdings.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2025

At six months of age, the number of nanotubes in normal mice and those with Alzheimer's disease began to equalize.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2025

Mike Huckabee, for goodness sake, was the governor who signed off on hundreds of millions of dollars of new annual funding to help equalize funding in Arkansas.

From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2025

It means I can bring along other oxygen tanks, and equalize them with the rover's tanks without having to do an EVA.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Isotonic cells have an equal concentration of solutes inside and outside the cell; this equalizes the osmotic pressure on either side of the cell membrane which is a semi-permeable membrane.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

“This rule, at least to a certain degree, equalizes the workforce that way,’’ says Amanda Sonneborn, an employment lawyer at King & Spalding.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 5, 2021

That’s smart, since consumers love both the content, digital content delivery and, eventually — as the water equalizes, as it always does — Hollywood-movie folks will figure out the necessary economic equilibrium.

From New York Times ● Jul. 10, 2021

The first equalizes the bad luck we’re born with; the second, the bad luck that finds us as adults.

From The New Yorker ● Jan. 6, 2020

“I like the way it equalizes everyone, you know? Most competitions are only for one thing, but in America's Got Talent, you can do anything. Be anything.”

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

Paraguay opened the scoring in the 42nd minute through Julio Enciso, before Germany equalized in the second half with a header by Kai Havertz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

With 11 minutes of regulation remaining, Bosnia and Herzegovina equalized to force extra time, then penalties.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026

In the second half, Austin FC equalized after Nkosi Tafari misplaced a clearance inside the box, causing confusion in the L.A. defense.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2025

Atlanta's Tyler Allgeier scored on a two-yard run only 2:45 into the game but Buffalo equalized just 4:14 later on Allen's 19-yard touchdown pass to Dawson Knox.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2025

I told her of our desire to have the food improved and equalized and to have better clothing; the need for facilities for studying; our right to information such as newspapers; and many more things.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

He cites the advent of the player draft in 1936 for equalizing teams and eliciting bettor interest—but it created fan interest, too.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

“A life-insurance policy can be specifically purchased to provide a cash payout to the non-business child, effectively equalizing their inheritance without burdening the business or the child taking it over,” it says.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 6, 2026

Whether or not Altman is a true believer in A.I.’s equalizing powers, he’s talking his book.

From Slate ● Feb. 10, 2026

It is also, in some ways, an equalizing force.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2025

“My thought was that if you know how to keep tissue alive there must be some way of equalizing the reserve supply to the area of the throat and face.”

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• adjust
• even up