What does "equalize" mean?
To make equal; to cause to correspond in amount or degree.
Equalize
/ˈikwəˌlaɪz/ verb
verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To make equal; to cause to correspond in amount or degree.
- Grammar: equalize is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: even out, accommodate, accord, adapt.
- Useful contrasts: discriminating, change in concentration, class group.
- Usage evidence: It is time not only to equalize men's and women's wages, but also to equalize responsibility for housework.
How to use "equalize"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "equalize" 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 "equalize" 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 "equalize" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "equalize" 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 "equalize" is acting as verb 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 "even out" 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 "equalize", 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
Verb
- 1 To make equal; to cause to correspond in amount or degree. transitive
"to equalize accounts, burdens, or taxes"
- 2 make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching wordnet
- 3 To be equal to; to equal, to rival. obsolete, transitive
"But a third kingdom yet is to arise / Out of the Trojans scattered ofspring, / That in all glory and great enterprise, / Both first and second Troy shall dare to equalise."
- 4 compensate; make the score equal wordnet
- 5 To make the scoreline equal by scoring points. intransitive
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 To clear the ears to balance the pressure in the middle ear with the outside pressure by letting air enter along the Eustachian tubes.
- 7 to precompose with each of a parallel pair of morphisms so as to yield the same composite morphism.
- 8 To adjust the balance between frequency components within an electronic signal.
"The technique for frequency slewing of a transient is different from that for vibration testing in that it is necessary to equalize at low level as the clock frequency is slewed in relatively small increments from the nominal to the desired frequency."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"It is time not only to equalize men's and women's wages, but also to equalize responsibility for housework."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "equalize"?
Common synonyms include: even out, accommodate, accord, adapt, adjust, adjust to.
How do you use "equalize" in a sentence?
It is time not only to equalize men's and women's wages, but also to equalize responsibility for housework.
How do you pronounce "equalize"?
Pronounced /ˈikwəˌlaɪz/.
Etymology
From equal + -ize.