Etymology
Origin of equally
Explanation
Use the adverb equally to mean "the same way" or "in similar shares." Something that's divided equally is split evenly or fairly between people. Your mom might say that she loves you and your brother equally — in other words, her affection is fairly distributed between the two of you. If you are equally disturbed by total silence and loud noises, it means that both bother you, to the exact same degree. Equally comes from the adjective equal, with its Latin root word, aequalis, "level, even, or just."
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.
The man’s curiosity and industriousness are equally impressive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
I think an equally interesting and complicated and fun area is someone deciding they’re ready to be happy.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Another member was equally supportive in a different way: “GO!” he wrote.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was equally optimistic about the deal in a Pentagon briefing Wednesday.
From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026
But, equally, that’s the thing about griffins: they are persuasive.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
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.
