SYNONYMS FOR even
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON THE MANY TYPES OF NOUNS
Meet Grammar Coach
Improve Your Writing
Idioms for even
Origin of even
1synonym study for even
OTHER WORDS FROM even
e·ven·er, noune·ven·ly, adverbe·ven·ness, nounWords nearby even
Definition for even (2 of 3)
noun Archaic.
Origin of even
2Definition for even (3 of 3)
noun, plural E·vens, (especially collectively) E·ven for 1.
Origin of Even
VOCAB BUILDER
What is a basic definition of even?
Even describes something as being flat or equal. Even is also used to intensify a statement. In math, even means a number is divisible by 2. The word even has many other senses as an adjective, adverb, and verb.
If a surface is even, it is flat or smooth. It doesn’t have any hills, bumps, or things sticking out of it. In a similar sense, even means a surface is level and doesn’t slant or slope.
- Real-life examples: An even coat of paint doesn’t have air pockets or isn’t heavier in one area (and, as a result, is a darker shade). Even skin is free of pimples, bumps, blisters, and possibly even hair.
- Used in a sentence: You need to set up the camera on even ground to get a great picture.
If two sides are even, they are equal or fairly distributed. For example, exchanging a 10-dollar bill for two 5-dollar bills is an even trade. Two basketball teams that each have five players have an even amount of players.
This sense of even is often used figuratively to refer to revenge. You might “get even” with someone by causing them a supposedly equal amount of suffering that you received earlier. However, people you get even with rarely see it as getting even.
- Real-life examples: A soccer match ending with a 1–1 score means the two teams have an even score. If you borrow $10 from someone, you need to pay them $10 back in order to be even with them. If you put even amounts of weight on two sides of a scale, you are putting the exact same amount on each side.
- Used in a sentence: Everybody got an even number of pizza slices to eat.
As an adverb, even is used as an intensifier. This sense of even is very versatile, indicating something is very unlikely, an extreme case, or a surprising comparison.
- Used in a sentence: Even my three-year-old daughter draws better than I do.
Even numbers can be divided by 2 without leaving a remainder or resulting in a decimal.
- Real-life examples: 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 are even numbers. 17 is not an even number because 17 divided by 2 equals 8.5 (or 8 with a remainder of 1).
- Used in a sentence: Somehow, I never have an even number of socks and always end up with a single sock sitting by itself in the drawer.
Where does even come from?
The first records of even come from before the 900s. It comes from the Old English efen and is related to the Old Norse jafn.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to even?
- uneven (adjective)
- evenly (adverb)
- evenness (noun)
- evener (noun)
What are some synonyms for even?
What are some words that share a root or word element with even?
What are some words that often get used in discussing even?
How is even used in real life?
Even is a very common word that is often used to mean smooth or equal. Using even to intensify a statement is also very common.
I tripped on a completely even surface. How was your day?
— 1/963 (@nick_beeny) November 20, 2018
Being an adult means using different cushions of your new couch everytime you sit down so they get even amounts of wear.
— Kyle Kirkby (@kirkby_kyle) October 20, 2020
I didn’t even try to buy a PS5 because I don’t think I can handle the rejection
— Jess Brohard (@JessBrohard) September 17, 2020
Try using even!
True or False?
392 is an even number.