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even

[ ee-vuhn ]

/ ˈi vən /

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See synonyms for even on Thesaurus.com

adjective

level; flat; smooth; without surface irregularities: an even road.

on the same level; in the same plane or line; parallel: even with the ground.

free from variations or fluctuations; regular: even motion.

uniform in action, character, or quality: to hold an even course.

equal in measure or quantity: Add even amounts of oil and vinegar.

divisible by two, as a number (opposed to odd).

denoted by such a number: the even pages of a book.

exactly expressible in integers, or in tens, hundreds, etc., without fractional parts: an even seven miles.

Mathematics. (of a function) having a sign that remains the same when the sign of each independent variable is changed at the same time.

equally balanced or divided; equal: Check to see if the scales are even.

leaving no balance of debt on either side; square: We will not be even until I can repay him for saving my life.

calm; placid; not easily excited or angered: an even temper.

equitable, impartial, or fair: an even bargain.

adverb

evenly: The road ran even over the fields.

still; yet (used to emphasize a comparative): even more suitable.

(used to suggest that something mentioned as a possibility constitutes an extreme case or an unlikely instance): Even the slightest noise disturbs him. Even if he attends, he may not participate.

just (used to emphasize occurrence, coincidence, or simultaneousness of occurrences): Even as he lay dying, they argued over his estate.

fully or quite: even to death.

indeed (used as an intensive for stressing the identity or truth of something): He is willing, even eager, to do it.

exactly or precisely: It was even so.

verb (used with object)

to make even; level; smooth (sometimes followed by out): to even a board with a plane.

to place in an even state as to claim or obligation; balance (often followed by up): to even up accounts.

verb (used without object)

to become even: The odds evened before the race.

Verb Phrases

even out,

to make or become even, smooth, or flat: The wrinkles will even out when the suit dries.
to become equal, balanced, stable, etc.: optimistic that the situation would even out eventually.

OTHER WORDS FOR even

1 plane.

12 tranquil, temperate, composed, peaceful.

13 just.

See synonyms for even on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR even

1 irregular, uneven.

12 mercurial.

13 biased.

See antonyms for even on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about even

break even, to have one's profits equal one's losses; neither gain nor lose: The company barely broke even last year.

get even, to be revenged; retaliate: He vowed to get even for the insult.

Origin of even

First recorded before 900; Middle English adjective even, efn(e), emne, Old English efen, efn; cognate with Gothic ibns, Old High German eban, Old Norse jafn “even, equal”; adverb and verb derivative of the adjective

synonym study for even

1. See level.

OTHER WORDS FROM even

e·ven·er, noune·ven·ly, adverbe·ven·ness, noun

Words nearby even

Evatt, eve, evection, Evelyn, Evemerus, even, evenfall, evenhanded, evening, evening bag, evening campion

Other definitions for even (2 of 3)

even²

[ ee-vuhn ]

/ ˈi vən /

noun Archaic.

evening; eve.

Origin of even

First recorded before 950; Middle English eve(n), Old English ǣfen, ēven; akin to German Abend, Old Frisian āvend, ēvend; see evening

Other definitions for even (3 of 3)

Even

[ ey-wuhn, ev-uhn ]

/ ˈeɪ wən, ˈɛv ən /

noun, plural E·vens, (especially collectively) E·ven for 1.

a member of a Siberian people living mainly in the Yakut Autonomous Republic in the Russian Federation.

the Tungusic language spoken by the Even.

Also called Lamut.

Origin of Even

<Russian ėvén<Evenki əwən

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

MORE ABOUT EVEN

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.

How to use even in a sentence

Alcohol and sugar, even in moderate amounts, are not only sinful but poisonous.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze|Lizzie Crocker|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This is even more striking in Submission than in his previous books.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even internally in the House, women are not getting their fair shake.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Weiss is likely to get confirmed even as Warren and a handful of other progressive Democrats vote no.
Sen. Warren’s Main Street Crusade to Pressure Clinton|Eleanor Clift|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

For many years afterward it was a never-ending topic of conversation, and is more or less talked of even to this day.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Some were even re-arrested for the same nefarious purpose, and the daily papers published their names on each occasion.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Even as they gazed they saw its roof caught up, and whirled off as if it had been a scroll of paper.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
I presume the twenty-five or thirty miles at this end is unhealthy, even for natives, but it surely need not be so.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
Genoa has but recently and partially felt the new impulse, yet even here the march of improvement is visible.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
He was the strangest-looking creature Davy had ever seen, not even excepting the Goblin.
Davy and The Goblin|Charles E. Carryl

British Dictionary definitions for even (1 of 2)

even¹

/ (ˈiːvən) /

adjective

level and regular; flatan even surface

(postpositive foll by with) on the same level or in the same plane (as)one surface even with another

without variation or fluctuation; regular; constantan even rate of progress

not readily moved or excited; placid; calman even temper

equally balanced between two sidesan even game

equal or identical in number, quantity, etctwo even spoonfuls of sugar

(of a number) divisible by two
characterized or indicated by such a numbermaps are on the even pages Compare odd (def. 4)

relating to or denoting two or either of two alternatives, events, etc, that have an equal probabilityan even chance of missing or catching a train

having no balance of debt; neither owing nor being owed

just and impartial; fairan even division

exact in number, amount, or extentan even pound

equal, as in score; levelnow the teams are even

maths (of a function) unchanged in value when the sign of the independent variable is changed, as in y = z ²See odd (def. 8)

even money

a bet in which the winnings are the same as the amount staked
(as modifier)the even-money favourite

get even informal to exact revenge (on); settle accounts (with)

of even date law formal, or obsolete of the same or today's date

adverb

(intensifier; used to suggest that the content of a statement is unexpected or paradoxical)even an idiot can do that

(intensifier; used with comparative forms)this is even better

notwithstanding; in spite ofeven having started late she soon caught him up

used to introduce a more precise version of a word, phrase, or statementhe is base, even depraved

used preceding a clause of supposition or hypothesis to emphasize the implication that whether or not the condition in it is fulfilled, the statement in the main clause remains valideven if she died he wouldn't care

archaic that is to say; namely (used for emphasis)he, even he, hath spoken these things

archaic all the way; fullyI love thee even unto death

even as (conjunction) at the very same moment or in the very same way thateven as I spoke, it thundered

even so in spite of any assertion to the contrary: nevertheless

verb

to make or become even

See also break even, even out, evens, even up

Derived forms of even

evener, nounevenly, adverbevenness, noun

Word Origin for even

Old English efen; related to Old Norse jafn even, equal, Gothic ibns, Old High German eban

British Dictionary definitions for even (2 of 2)

even²

/ (ˈiːvən) /

noun

an archaic word for eve, evening

Word Origin for even

Old English ǣfen; related to Old Frisian ēvend, Old High German āband

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for even

even

[ ē′vən ]

Divisible by 2 with a remainder of 0, such as 12 or 876.

Other Idioms and Phrases with even

even

In addition to the idioms beginning with even

even money
even so

also see:

break even
never give a sucker an even break
on an even keel

even

OTHER WORDS FOR even

OPPOSITES FOR even

Idioms about even

Origin of even

synonym study for even

OTHER WORDS FROM even

Words nearby even

Other definitions for even (2 of 3)

Origin of even

Other definitions for even (3 of 3)

Origin of Even

MORE ABOUT EVEN

What is a basic definition of even?

Where does even come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is even used in real life?

Try using even!

Words related to even

How to use even in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for even (1 of 2)

Derived forms of even

Word Origin for even

British Dictionary definitions for even (2 of 2)

Word Origin for even

Scientific definitions for even

Other Idioms and Phrases with even