Etymology
Origin of equally
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at equal, -ly
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.
Not so in the development of equally world-changing AI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Not all subscription-based products may be impacted equally, but consumption habits are likely to change, Tanay Jaipuri, partner at Wing Venture Capital, said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
The psychological fallout among the network’s talking heads has been equally telling.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026
One Pacific delegate said he hoped that voices from the region would be "treated equally and fairly and with all respect" in Antalya.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Ivan and Håkon were both staring at the Nightingale, equally tense.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
