Meaning & use
equal
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
The same in size, amount, number or value as something else.
Grammar: Often followed by to: equal to ten.
Patterns
- equal to something
- of equal size
Cut the cake into four equal pieces.
Two plus two is equal to four.
The two teams are of equal strength.
adjectivebefore a noun
Having the same rights, chances or status as other people.
Grammar: Often describes rights and treatment: equal pay.
Patterns
- equal opportunities
- equal rights
Everyone deserves equal rights under the law.
The school promotes equal opportunities for all students.
Men and women should receive equal pay.
nouncountable
A person or thing of the same rank, ability or value as another.
Grammar: Usually used with a possessive: his equal.
Patterns
- someone's equal
- be the equal of someone
As a chess player, she has no equal.
He treats his employees as equals.
In speed, few runners were his equal.
verbtransitive
To be the same as something in amount, value or quality, or to match it.
Grammar: Takes an object, without a preposition: two plus two equals four.
Patterns
- equal something
Three times four equals twelve.
She equaled the world record in the 100 meters.
No other city can equal Paris for romance.
adjectiveafter a verbformal
Having enough strength or skill to deal with a task.
Grammar: Used with to: equal to the job.
Patterns
- equal to something
She proved equal to the challenge.
He did not feel equal to the task.
The new manager was equal to the pressure.
Word forms
| plural | equals |
|---|---|
| third person singular | equals |
| past tense | equaled (US) / equalled (UK) |
| -ing form | equaling (US) / equalling (UK) |
Common combinations
- equal opportunity
- The company is an equal opportunity employer.
- equal rights
- They campaigned for equal rights.
- equal pay
- Equal pay for equal work is the goal.
- equal measure
- Add flour and sugar in equal measure.
- all things being equal
- All things being equal, I would take the earlier train.
- equal footing
- Both sides met on an equal footing.
Synonyms and how they differ
- identical
- Identical means exactly the same in every detail, which is stricter than equal.
- equivalent
- Equivalent means having the same value or effect even if the form differs, while equal means the same in amount.
- even
- Even suggests a balanced score or level surface, and is more casual than equal.
- fair
- Fair is about treating people justly, while equal is about sameness.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: equal or equitable? equal or equivalent?
equal vs equitable
Equitable means fair and reasonable, while equal means identical in amount or status.
equal vs equivalent
Equivalent means having the same worth in a different form, such as dollars and euros.
Practice
The two sisters got ___ shares of the inheritance, with neither getting more.
Choose one answer.
Equal shares means identical amounts. Equitable means fair, which might not require identical shares, and unequal contradicts the context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “equal”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.