Meaning & use
equalization
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Meanings
noununcountable
the process of making amounts, rights or conditions the same for everyone or in every place.
Grammar: Usually uncountable, followed by of: the equalization of pay.
Patterns
- equalization of something
- equalization between things
The union called for the equalization of pay between men and women.
Equalization of school funding was the main promise of the campaign.
The government planned an equalization of tax rates across the regions.
noununcountabletechnical
in audio, adjusting the balance of high, middle and low frequencies in a sound.
Grammar: Often shortened to EQ: apply some equalization to the vocal track.
Patterns
- equalization of a track
- apply equalization to something
A little equalization made the vocals clearer.
The engineer used equalization to remove the hum from the recording.
Most car stereos include equalization controls for bass and treble.
noununcountabletechnical
in physics or chemistry, the process by which pressure or temperature becomes equal in connected spaces.
Grammar: Used with a measured quantity: pressure equalization.
Patterns
- pressure equalization
- equalization of temperature
Divers rely on pressure equalization to protect their ears.
Equalization between the two tanks took several minutes.
Opening the valve allowed quick equalization of the air pressure.
Word forms
| plural | equalizations |
|---|
Common combinations
- pressure equalization
- Swallowing helps pressure equalization in your ears during landing.
- wage equalization
- Wage equalization remains a goal for many unions.
- audio equalization
- Audio equalization lets you boost the bass without distortion.
- tax equalization
- The company offers tax equalization for staff sent abroad.
- equalization of opportunity
- The reforms aimed at equalization of opportunity in education.
Synonyms and how they differ
- leveling
- Leveling is more informal and often suggests flattening a surface or difference, whereas equalization sounds technical or policy-oriented.
- balancing
- Balancing implies adjusting competing parts, while equalization means making them exactly the same.
- parity
- Parity names the state of being equal, but equalization names the process of getting there.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: equalization or equalizer?
equalization vs equalizer
An equalizer is the person, device or goal that does the equalizing, while equalization is the process itself.
Practice
A sound engineer says, 'The track needs some ___ because the bass is too heavy.' Which word fits?
Choose one answer.
Equalization is the adjustment of frequency levels in audio. Equality is a social state, and equator and equation are unrelated.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “equalization”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.