Equal
What it means
Having the same rights, status, value, or opportunity.
Reach for it when describing parity under a stated and relevant measure
The revised rules guarantee equal access to every applicant.
Words to choose between 6
| playful | |
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| everyday |
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| professional | |
| formal |
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playful
on a par
Fits when comparable quality or ability is meant informally
Careful The idiom concerns comparison and does not establish equal rights.
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everyday
even
Fits when amounts, chances, or scores are balanced
Careful Even is informal and limited to distributions or competition.
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professional
Fits when fairness requires different support for different barriers
Careful Equitable deliberately need not mean the same treatment or amount.
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professional
equivalent
Fits when two things have the same value or function
Careful Equivalent allows different form and sounds unnatural for people's rights or status.
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professional
identical
Fits when no relevant difference exists
Careful Identical is much stronger and wrong for people with equal rights but different needs.
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formal
Fits when parties hold the same rank or authority
Careful Coequal is narrower and sounds constitutional or institutional.
Opposites 4
- unequal
- inferior
- disparate
- subordinate
Common phrases 4
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equal access
Equal access requires both an open door and usable information.
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equal rights
The charter affirms equal rights regardless of birthplace.
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roughly equal
The two routes take roughly equal time in light traffic.
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equal partner
Each cooperative joined the project as an equal partner.
Word family 1
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, public domain Updated