equivalent
noun · adjective · verb
Simple meaning
Similar or identical in value, meaning or effect.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
ihkwivuhluhntSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ɪkˈwɪvələnt
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A person or thing equal to another in value or measure or force or effect or significance etc
“Send two dollars or the equivalent in stamps.”
Anything that is virtually equal to something else, or has the same value, force, etc.
adjective
Similar or identical in value, meaning or effect; virtually equal.
mathematics
Of two sets, having a one-to-one correspondence.
verb
transitive
To make equivalent to; to equal.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A2 · Elementary (estimated)
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A person or thing equal to another in value or measure or force or effect or significance etc
Used this way, equivalent is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It suits considered writing and prepared speech.
“Send two dollars or the equivalent in stamps.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Serious and weighty
- Usage feel
- Formal and precise
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “equivalent in …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: equivalent in …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use equivalent
- “To burn calories, a thirty-minute jog is equivalent to a couple of hamburgers.”adjective
- “A square may be equivalent to a triangle.”adjective
- “Send two dollars or the equivalent in stamps.”noun
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
The average number of binary digits needed to express one radix digit in a numeration system that is not binary.
The atomic weight of an element that has the same combining capacity as a given weight of another element.
Two words that can be interchanged in a context are said to be synonymous relative to that context.
Preferred stock or convertible bonds or warrants that can be converted into common stock.
Law stating that the proportions in which two elements separately combine with a third element are also the proportions in which they combine together.
A person (not necessarily a spouse) with whom you cohabit and share a long-term sexual relationship.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “equivalent” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.