level

[ lev-uhl ]

/ ˈlɛv əl /

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See synonyms for: level / leveled / leveling / levelled on Thesaurus.com

adjective

having no part higher than another; having a flat or even surface.

being in a plane parallel to the plane of the horizon; horizontal.

equal, as one thing with another or two or more things with one another.

even, equable, or uniform.

filled to a height even with the rim of a container: a level teaspoon of salt.

mentally well-balanced; sensible; rational: to keep a level head in a crisis.

noun

a device used for determining or adjusting something to a horizontal surface.

Surveying.

Also called sur·vey·or's lev·el. an instrument for observing levels, having a sighting device, usually telescopic, and capable of being made precisely horizontal.
an observation made with this instrument.
spirit level.

an imaginary line or surface everywhere at right angles to the plumb line.

the horizontal line or plane in which anything is situated, with regard to its elevation.

a horizontal position or condition.

an extent of land approximately horizontal and unbroken by irregularities.

a level or flat surface.

a position with respect to a given or specified height: The water rose to a level of 30 feet.

a position or plane in a graded scale of values; status; rank: His acting was on the level of an amateur. They associated only with those on their own economic level.

an extent, measure, or degree of intensity, achievement, etc.: a high level of sound; an average level of writing skill.

Linguistics. a major subdivision of linguistic structure, as phonology, morphology, or syntax, often viewed as hierarchically ordered.Compare component (def. 6a), stratum (def. 8).

Mining. the interconnected horizontal mine workings at a particular elevation or depth: There had been a cave-in on the 1,500-foot level.

(in a video game or role-playing game)

a discrete section in game design or narrative that ends with a culminating event, as a boss battle.
character level.

verb (used with object), lev·eled, lev·el·ing or (especially British) lev·elled, lev·el·ling.

to make (a surface) level, even, or flat: to level ground before building.

to raise or lower to a particular level or position; to make horizontal.

to bring (something) to the level of the ground; raze: They leveled the trees to make way for the new highway.

Informal. to knock down (a person): He leveled his opponent with one blow.

to make equal, as in status or condition.

to make even or uniform, as coloring.

Historical Linguistics. (of the alternative forms of a paradigm) to reduce in number or regularize: Old English “him” (dative) and “hine” (accusative) have been leveled to Modern English “him.”

to aim or point (a weapon, criticism, etc.) at a mark or objective: He leveled his criticism at the college as a whole.

Surveying. to find the relative elevation of different points in (land), as with a level.

verb (used without object), lev·eled, lev·el·ing or (especially British) lev·elled, lev·el·ling.

to bring things or persons to a common level.

to aim a weapon, criticism, etc., at a mark or objective.

Surveying.

to take a level.
to use a leveling instrument.

to speak truthfully and openly (often followed by with): You're not leveling with me about your trip to Chicago.

Obsolete. to direct the mind, purpose, etc., at something.

adverb

Obsolete. in a level, direct, or even way or line.

Verb Phrases

level off,

Aeronautics. to maintain a constant altitude after a climb or descent.
to become stable; reach a constant or limit.
to make even or smooth.

level up,

(in a video game or tabletop game) to obtain a higher character level or skill rank, or improve the quality or performance statistics of an object, as a weapon.
to perform at a higher standard than expected, or show vast improvement: It’s possible for a small business to level up and land big clients.Your date is smokin’ hot—way to level up, bro!

OTHER WORDS FOR level

1, 2 flush.

20 smooth, flatten.

22 raze, demolish, destroy.

24 equalize.

27 direct.

See synonyms for level on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR level

1 uneven.

2 vertical.

See antonyms for level on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about level

find one's (own) level, to attain the place or position merited by one's abilities or achievements: He finally found his level as one of the directors of the firm.

one's level best, one's very best; one's utmost: We tried our level best to get here on time.

on the level, Informal. honest; sincere; reliable: Is this information on the level?

Origin of level

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English noun, variant of livel, from Middle French, from unattested Vulgar Latin lībellum, for Latin lībella “plummet line, level,” diminutive of lībra “balance, scales”; the verb is derived from the noun

synonym study for level

1, 2. Level, even, flat, smooth suggest a uniform surface without marked unevenness. That which is level is parallel to the horizon: a level surface; A billiard table must be level. Flat is applied to any plane surface free from marked irregularities: a flat roof. With reference to land or country, flat connotes lowness or unattractiveness; level does not suggest anything derogatory. That which is even is free from irregularities, though not necessarily level or plane: an even land surface with no hills. Smooth suggests a high degree of evenness in any surface, especially to the touch and sometimes to the sight: as smooth as silk.

OTHER WORDS FROM level

lev·el·ly, adverblev·el·ness, nounan·ti·lev·el·ing, adjectivean·ti·lev·el·ling, adjective

in·ter·lev·el, adjectivenon·lev·el, adjectivere·lev·el, verb, re·lev·eled, re·lev·el·ing or (especially British) re·lev·elled, re·lev·el·ling.self-lev·el·ing, adjectiveself-lev·el·ling, adjectiveun·der·lev·el, adjectiveun·lev·el, adjectiveun·lev·el·ly, adverbun·lev·el·ness, nounun·lev·eled, adjectiveun·lev·elled, adjectivewell-leveled, adjectivewell-levelled, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use level in a sentence

“With decreasing food availability, we find increased levels of aggression,” as well as a “loser response,” with the caterpillar that gets attacked often leaving the area, says Elizabeth Brown, a biologist who works in Keene’s lab.
Monarch caterpillars head-butt each other to fight for scarce food|Curtis Segarra|November 19, 2020|Science News
It just existed, self-defined, like the basement level of reality—it wouldn’t budge.
When Einstein Tilted at Windmills - Issue 93: Forerunners|Amanda Gefter|November 18, 2020|Nautilus
We both work in the highest level of state serving the Governor and our constituents.
Junior Staffer Says Top Alaska Official Told Her to Keep Allegations of Misconduct Secret|by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News|November 18, 2020|ProPublica
Another obvious way that a vaccine could be compromised through a cyberattack is at the manufacturing level.
How bad actors could sabotage a COVID vaccine—and how that can be prevented|jakemeth|November 18, 2020|Fortune

It’s about finding new connections, seeing things in a new way and understanding things at a deeper level.
Searching Symbols for the Rules of Change|Rachel Crowell|November 17, 2020|Quanta Magazine
Under the new system, it's not--at least, not unless we engage in really radical egalitarian levelling.
The Poor We Shall Always Have With Us|Megan McArdle|November 16, 2012|DAILY BEAST
This levelling spirit is gradually converting the historic Walled City into a busy retail trading-centre.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
My lady would have none of this; it was levelling and revolutionary, she said.
My Lady Ludlow|Elizabeth Gaskell
Your levellers wish to level down as far as 25 themselves; but they cannot bear levelling up to themselves.
Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern, English and Foreign Sources|James Wood
Then in my exasperation I whipped a pistol out of my belt, and levelling it at him, pulled the trigger.
A Middy of the King|Harry Collingwood
With anything like levelling aspirations Shakspere had clearly no sympathy.
A Letter on Shakspere's Authorship of The Two Noble Kinsmen|William Spalding

British Dictionary definitions for level

level

/ (ˈlɛvəl) /

adjective

on a horizontal plane

having a surface of completely equal height

being of the same height as something else

(of quantities to be measured, as in recipes) even with the top of the cup, spoon, etc

equal to or even with (something or someone else)

not having or showing inconsistency or irregularities

Also: level-headed even-tempered; steady

verb -els, -elling or -elled or US -els, -eling or -eled

(tr sometimes foll by off) to make (a surface) horizontal, level, or even

to make (two or more people or things) equal, as in position or status

(tr) to raze to the ground

(tr) to knock (a person) down by or as if by a blow

(tr) to direct (a gaze, criticism, etc) emphatically at someone

(intr often foll by with) informal to be straightforward and frank

(intr; foll by off or out) to manoeuvre an aircraft into a horizontal flight path after a dive, climb, or glide

(often foll by at) to aim (a weapon) horizontally

surveying to determine the elevation of a section of (land), sighting through a levelling instrument to a staff at successive pairs or points

noun

a horizontal datum line or plane

a device, such as a spirit level, for determining whether a surface is horizontal

a surveying instrument consisting basically of a telescope with a spirit level attached, used for measuring relative heights of landSee Abney level, dumpy level

a reading of the difference in elevation of two points taken with such an instrument

position or status in a scale of values

amount or degree of progress; stage

a specified vertical position; altitude

a horizontal line or plane with respect to which measurement of elevation is basedsea level

a flat even surface or area of land

a horizontal passage or drift in a mine

any of the successive layers of material that have been deposited with the passage of time to build up and raise the height of the land surface

physics the ratio of the magnitude of a physical quantity to an arbitrary magnitudesound-pressure level

do one's level best to make every possible effort; try one's utmost

find one's level to find one's most suitable place socially, professionally, etc

on a level on the same horizontal plane as another

on the level informal sincere, honest, or genuine

Derived forms of level

levelly, adverblevelness, noun

Word Origin for level

C14: from Old French livel, from Vulgar Latin lībellum (unattested), from Latin lībella, diminutive of lībra scales

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with level

level

In addition to the idioms beginning with level

level best
level off
level with someone

also see:

do one's (level) best
on the level

level

OTHER WORDS FOR level

OPPOSITES FOR level

Idioms about level

Origin of level

synonym study for level

OTHER WORDS FROM level

Words related to level

How to use level in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for level

Derived forms of level

Word Origin for level

Other Idioms and Phrases with level