equalizer
Americannoun
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a person or thing that equalizes.
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any of various devices or appliances for equalizing strains, pressures, etc.
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Electricity. an electric network of inductance, capacitance, or resistance established between two points in a given network to secure some constant relation, as even attenuation, between the two points.
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Slang. a weapon, as a pistol, blackjack, or switchblade knife.
noun
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a person or thing that equalizes, esp a device to counterbalance opposing forces
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an electronic network introduced into a transmission circuit to alter its response, esp to reduce distortion by equalizing its response over a specified frequency range
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sport a goal, point, etc, that levels the score
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slang a weapon, esp a gun
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An electronic device made of filters and amplifiers, used to alter the relative strengths of different frequencies in an electronic signal. Equalizers are used primarily in audio equipment, allowing fine-tuning of the signal to compensate for distortions such as weak response or oversensitivity at various frequencies.
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◆ A graphic equalizer uses a set of controls that determine the level of boost or suppression of individual frequencies. The controls are usually sliding faders, set up in a row from lowest frequency to highest frequency, so that the final settings resemble a graph of the frequency response of the equalizer.
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◆ A parametric equalizer consists of one or more filters whose characteristics can be controlled, such as the frequency to be manipulated, whether to boost or suppress the frequency, the amount of boost or suppression, and how much nearby frequencies are also affected.
Usage
What else does equalizer mean? An equalizer levels the playing field or otherwise evens discrepancies out. The term can variously refer to: weapons, score-tying points in sports, a device that modifies sound frequencies, and forces or phenomena that balance out social inequalities. What are some other forms of equalizer?(chiefly British) equaliser
Etymology
Origin of equalizer
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.
Boosting isn’t a solution, but it is an equalizer, reminding upper management that a different title and fatter salary don’t exempt them from compassion, inside or outside the store.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
That idea, practice as the great equalizer, shapes how Plum sees her career now, in a moment that demands more from her than ever before.
From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026
Although the internet is meant to be an equalizer, unreliable or inconsistent connectivity can instead hold people back.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026
They regrouped in the second half and were able to capitalize on lax Colombian defending to grab the equalizer.
From Barron's • Nov. 16, 2025
The American system of higher learning seems to have become a great equalizer.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
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.
