equitable
Americanadjective
-
characterized by equity or fairness; just and right; fair.
equitable treatment of all citizens.
- Synonyms:
- unprejudiced, unbiased, objective, impartial, dispassionate, just, fair, evenhanded
- Antonyms:
- prejudiced, biased, inequitable, unequitable, unjust, unfair
-
Law.
adjective
-
impartial or reasonable; fair; just
an equitable decision
-
law relating to or valid in equity, as distinct from common law or statute law
-
law (formerly) recognized in a court of equity only, as claims, rights, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of equitable
Explanation
Equitable distribution means everyone gets their fair share of something.If you work on a group project in class, you want an equitable share of the credit. When you look at equitable, you might think you see the word, equal, but it doesn't mean fair in the sense of exactly the same. If you worked ten hours at a lemonade stand and your friend worked five, you'd want an equitable share of the profits rather than an equal share. Equitable would take into account the amount of work you did, equal would not.
Vocabulary lists containing equitable
Grade 9, List 5
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "E" and "F"
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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.
Divorce law treats marital property as an equitable or 50/50 split, depending on the state.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
What’s notable is, not only did the court say that the equitable factors here didn’t support a stay, they also said the government was likely to lose on the merits.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca welcome NICE's decision, but the latter is calling for "strong collaboration" across the healthcare system to ensure "faster, more equitable patient access in the future".
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
The Police Commission said in a statement that it is still waiting on the report, adding that “fair and equitable hiring of sworn and civilian employees remains a priority.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
“I believe we have come up with a fine, equitable solution to the situation,” said Mr. Stonecrop.
From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt
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.
