tantamount

[tan-tuh-mount]

adjective

1. equivalent, as in value, force, effect, or signification.

   His angry speech was tantamount to a declaration of war.

tantamount

/ ˈtæntəˌmaʊnt /

adjective

1. as good (as); equivalent in effect (to)

   his statement was tantamount to an admission of guilt

Word History and Origins

Origin of tantamount¹

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”; tanto, amount

Word History and Origins

Origin of tantamount¹

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

Synonym Study

See equal.

Example Sentences

Out of the blocks quickly in a section that is tantamount to a sprint.

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The stock market has recovered from so many difficulties that some sophisticated investors view hedging as tantamount to burning money.

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But the Dodgers haven’t had a happy moment since winning that 18-inning Game 3 epic that a lot of romantics seemed to believe was tantamount to clinching.

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"All these things the insurers say sound reasonable, but are tantamount to saying disabled people are an unusual case, and that their lives are inherently riskier."

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Some American lawmakers say the killings are tantamount to extrajudicial executions.

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Related Words

• commensurate 
• identical