What does "equal" mean?
A person or thing of equal status to others.
Equal
/ˈiːkwəl/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person or thing of equal status to others.
- Grammar: equal is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: match, peer, accord, accordant.
- Useful contrasts: unequal, different limits, distinct parts mix.
- Usage evidence: What you are saying is equal to "no", isn't it?
How to use "equal"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "equal" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "equal" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "equal" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "equal" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "equal" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "match" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "equal", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person or thing of equal status to others. countable, uncountable
"We're all equals here."
- 2 a person who is of equal standing with another in a group wordnet
- 3 State of being equal; equality. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"Thou that presum'st to weigh the world anew, And all things to an equall to restore."
Verb
- 1 To be equal to, to have the same value as; to correspond to. copulative
"Two plus two equals four."
- 2 make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching wordnet
- 3 To make equivalent to; to cause to match. transitive
"David equaled the water levels of the bottles, so they now both contain exactly 1 liter."
- 4 be identical or equivalent to wordnet
- 5 To match in degree or some other quality, to match up to. transitive
"And what delights can equal those That stir the spirit’s inner deeps, When one that loves but knows not, reaps A truth from one that loves and knows?"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 be equal to in quality or ability wordnet
- 7 To have as consequence, to amount to, to mean. copulative, informal
"Losing this deal equals losing your job."
Adjective
- 1 The same in one or more respects. not-comparable, usually
"Near-synonyms: equivalent; see also Thesaurus:equal"
- 2 The same in one or more respects.; The same in value (status, merit, etc): having or deserving the same rights or treatment. not-comparable, usually
"We hold that all men are created equal and are thus equal under the law."
- 3 The same in one or more respects.; The same in all respects that matter practically; interchangeable, fungible, or (even sometimes) identical for practical purposes. not-comparable, usually
"Equal conditions should produce equal results."
- 4 The same in one or more respects.; Exactly identical, having the same value. not-comparable, usually
"All right angles are equal."
- 5 Fair, impartial. not-comparable, obsolete, usually
"it could not but much redound to the lustre of your milde and equall Government, when as private persons are hereby animated to thinke ye better pleas'd with publick advice, then other statists have been delighted heretofore with publicke flattery."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Adequate; sufficiently capable or qualified. comparable, not-comparable, usually
"This test is pretty tough, but I think I'm equal to it."
- 7 Not variable; equable; uniform; even. not-comparable, obsolete, usually
"an equal movement"
- 8 Intended for voices of one kind only, either all male or all female; not mixed. not-comparable, usually
Adjective
- 1 having the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task wordnet
- 2 having the same quantity, value, or measure as another wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"What you are saying is equal to "no", isn't it?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "equal"?
Common synonyms include: match, peer, accord, accordant, adequate, agent.
How do you use "equal" in a sentence?
What you are saying is equal to "no", isn't it?
How do you pronounce "equal"?
Pronounced /ˈiːkwəl/.
Etymology
From Middle English equal, from Latin aequālis. Doublet of aequalis and egal.