What does "par" mean?
Abbreviation of paragraph.
Par
/pɑː/ adj, name, noun, prep, verb
adj, name, noun, prep, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Abbreviation of paragraph.
- Grammar: par is listed as adj, name, noun, prep, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: alike, asking price, at par, au pair.
- Useful contrasts: albatross, albatrosses, anomaly.
- Usage evidence: I am not feeling quite up to par.
How to use "par"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "par" 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 "par" 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 "par" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "par" 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 "par" is acting as adj, name, noun, prep, 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 "alike" 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 "par", 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 Abbreviation of paragraph. abbreviation, alt-of
"And this particular Chisolm — as the papers had spelled out in headlines and opening pars — had been a soldier, a corporal in the British Army."
- 2 Equal value; equality of nominal and actual value; the value expressed on the face or in the words of a certificate of value, as a bond or other commercial paper. countable, uncountable
"It also means that when a right-wing Jewish group such as the ZOA chooses to overlook Bannon’s well-documented links to anti-Semitic white nationalists, it puts itself on a moral par with J.V.P. Bannon is the man who expressly called Breitbart News “the platform for the alt-right,” knowing full-well the toxic range of opinion encompassed by the term."
- 3 Alternative form of parr (“young salmon”). alt-of, alternative
- 4 Initialism of periodic automatic replenishment: in inventory control, a fixed quantity of an item that must be kept on hand to support daily operations. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 5 (golf) the standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf course, or for the entire course wordnet
Show 12 more definitions
- 6 Abbreviation of parenthesis. abbreviation, alt-of
- 7 Equality of condition or circumstances. countable, uncountable
- 8 Initialism of photosynthetically-active radiation. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 9 a state of being essentially equal or equivalent; equally balanced wordnet
- 10 Abbreviation of parish. abbreviation, alt-of
- 11 The allotted number of strokes to reach the hole. uncountable
"He needs to make this shot for par."
- 12 Initialism of precision approach radar. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 13 A hole in which a player achieves par. countable
"Kaymer started with six straight pars before making a birdie on the seventh and an eagle on the eighth."
- 14 Abbreviation of phased-array radar. abbreviation, alt-of
- 15 An amount which is taken as an average or mean. UK, countable, uncountable
- 16 Abbreviation of pseudoautosomal region. abbreviation, alt-of
- 17 Initialism of personnel accountability report. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Verb
- 1 To reach the hole in the allotted number of strokes. transitive
"He will need to par every hole in order to win this game."
- 2 To associate, to chill, to hang. Multicultural-London-English
"Par with the hard heads and young offenders."
- 3 make a score (on a hole) equal to par wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Abbreviation of parallel. abbreviation, alt-of
- 2 Initialism of planed all round: of timber, planed on all sides as opposed to rough sawn. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism, not-comparable
Preposition
- 1 By; with. in-compounds
Proper Noun
- 1 A village and beach in Tywardreath and Par parish, east of St Austell, Cornwall, England (OS grid ref SX0753).
- 2 Acronym of Philippine Area of Responsibility. Philippines, abbreviation, acronym, alt-of
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I am not feeling quite up to par."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "par"?
Common synonyms include: alike, asking price, at par, au pair, average, balance.
How do you use "par" in a sentence?
I am not feeling quite up to par.
How do you pronounce "par"?
Pronounced /pɑː/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Abbreviations
Etymology 2
Borrowed from French par (“through, by”), from Latin per (“through”). Doublet of per.
Etymology 3
Borrowed from Latin pār (“equal”).
Etymology 4
Borrowed from Jamaican Creole, itself from partner.