tantamount

[ tan-tuh-mount ]

/ ˈtæn təˌmaʊnt /

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See synonyms for tantamount on Thesaurus.com

adjective

equivalent, as in value, force, effect, or signification: His angry speech was tantamount to a declaration of war.

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Origin of tantamount

First recorded in 1635–45; adjective use of obsolete noun, “that which amounts to as much, something equivalent,” itself a noun use of an obsolete verb, “to amount to as much,” from Anglo-French tant amunter or Italian tanto montare “to amount to as much,” from Latin tantum, neuter of adjective tantus “of such size, so great”; see tanto, amount

synonym study for tantamount

See equal.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tantamount

paramount, tantamount

Words nearby tantamount

tantalizing, tantalous, tantalum, Tantalus, tantalus monkey, tantamount, tantara, tantivy, tant mieux, tanto, tant pis

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

How to use tantamount in a sentence

What’s missing—yet tantamount to our brain’s inner working—is timing.
New Spiking Neuromorphic Chip Could Usher in an Era of Highly Efficient AI|Shelly Fan|November 9, 2021|Singularity Hub
The judge also acknowledged that the government request was tantamount to a life sentence.
Pentagon linguist sentenced to 23 years for exposing U.S. sources in Iraq to Hezbollah in rare terrorism espionage case|Spencer Hsu|June 23, 2021|Washington Post
Employing the familiar War on Terror tagline “If you see something, say something,” the gubment would have us believe that dropping a wee turd on the sand is tantamount to dropping a suitcase bomb on the subway.
“Can I Throw Trash into Lake Powell?”|Sundog|May 4, 2021|Outside Online
His ideas were so revolutionary that many saw them as tantamount to a call for a second Reformation.
Hans Küng, Catholic theologian who challenged papal authority, dies at 93|Matt Schudel|April 9, 2021|Washington Post

The only caveat I would raise is if there are a very small number of aides whose identity is known when releasing the number would be tantamount to identifying them.
Kayleigh McEnany’s bogus excuse for a lack of coronavirus transparency|Aaron Blake|October 5, 2020|Washington Post
To this aide, these attacks were tantamount to “asking to intervene on the side of ISIS.”
Why Rand Paul Suddenly Wants to Bomb Syria|Olivia Nuzzi|September 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Turing was offered the option of two years in prison or oestrogen injections—tantamount to chemical castration.
Oscar's Battle of the Brits: Pals Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne Vie for the Gold|Marlow Stern|September 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was given the choice of two years in prison or oestrogen injections, tantamount to chemical castration.
Benedict Cumberbatch on 'The Imitation Game,' Homophobia, and How to Combat ISIS|Marlow Stern|September 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Being shamed by her church was tantamount to losing her community and her job.
Mississippi Is Hell for These Lesbians|Emily Shire|August 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For them the 18-day search for the Israeli teens and the manhunt for their captors was tantamount to collective punishment.
There Is No Moral Equivalent to the Murder of Three Israeli Teenagers|Thane Rosenbaum|July 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The alterations were indeed small; but the alteration even of a letter was tantamount to a declaration of independence.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay
Witness his conception, in The Broken Heart, of a loveless marriage as tantamount to adultery.
The Fatal Dowry|Philip Massinger
To try and compel them to pay was tantamount to placing liberty and even life in jeopardy.
The Pilgrim's Shell or Fergan the Quarryman|Eugne Sue
Indeed, to call a work of art purely and simply "scientific," is tantamount to saying that it is dry and uninspired by the muse.
Frederick Chopin as a Man and Musician|Frederick Niecks
Now this would be tantamount to conceiving the definition of a thing that did not exist, which is impossible.
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 3|Plotinos (Plotinus)

British Dictionary definitions for tantamount

tantamount

/ (ˈtæntəˌmaʊnt) /

adjective

(postpositive foll by to) as good (as); equivalent in effect (to)his statement was tantamount to an admission of guilt

Word Origin for tantamount

C17: basically from Anglo-French tant amunter to amount to as much, from tant so much + amunter to amount

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

tantamount

Origin of tantamount

synonym study for tantamount

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tantamount

Words nearby tantamount

Words related to tantamount

How to use tantamount in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tantamount

Word Origin for tantamount