What does "identity" mean?
Sameness, identicalness; the quality or fact of (several specified things) being the same.
Identity
/aɪˈdɛntɪti/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Sameness, identicalness; the quality or fact of (several specified things) being the same.
- Grammar: identity is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: accord, accordance, affinity, agape.
- Useful contrasts: anonymity, anonymous, design transformation.
- Usage evidence: A schedule is an identity card for time, but, if you don't have a schedule, the time isn't there.
How to use "identity"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "identity" 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 "identity" 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 "identity" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "identity" 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 "identity" is acting as noun 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 "accord" 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 "identity", 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 Sameness, identicalness; the quality or fact of (several specified things) being the same. countable, uncountable
"[…] suggesting the two are different stages of the same species. The identity of the two species is further suggested by allozyme analysis […]"
- 2 the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity wordnet
- 3 The difference or character that marks off an individual or collective from the rest of the same kind; selfhood; the sense of who something or someone or oneself is, or the recurring characteristics that enable the recognition of such an individual or group by others or themselves. countable, uncountable
"I've been through so many changes, I have no sense of identity."
- 4 exact sameness wordnet
- 5 A name or persona—a mask or appearance one presents to the world—by which one is known. countable, uncountable
"This criminal has taken on several identities."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 the individual characteristics by which a thing or person is recognized or known wordnet
- 7 An equation which always holds true regardless of the choice of input variables. countable, uncountable
"The equation (x+y)(x−y) = x²−y² is an algebraic identity. It is true regardless of the values of x and y."
- 8 an operator that leaves unchanged the element on which it operates wordnet
- 9 Any function which maps all elements of its domain to themselves. countable, uncountable
- 10 An element of an algebraic structure which, when applied to another element under an operation in that structure, yields this second element. countable, uncountable
"Zero is the identity for the addition of real numbers."
- 11 A well-known or famous person. Australia, New-Zealand, countable, uncountable
"The body of a well known old identity named James Conroy […] was found in the water yesterday afternoon…"
Example
"A schedule is an identity card for time, but, if you don't have a schedule, the time isn't there."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "identity"?
Common synonyms include: accord, accordance, affinity, agape, agreement, alikeness.
How do you use "identity" in a sentence?
A schedule is an identity card for time, but, if you don't have a schedule, the time isn't there.
How do you pronounce "identity"?
Pronounced /aɪˈdɛntɪti/.
Etymology
From Middle French identité, from Latin identitās.