- the same in size, quantity, value, etc. as something else
- There is an equal number of boys and girls in the class.
- Each side will put in an equal amount of money.
- Cut it into four equal parts.
- equal in something The two countries are roughly equal in size.
- equal to somebody/something One unit of alcohol is equal to half a pint of beer.
- An area of forest equal to the size of Wales has been destroyed.
- legislation to put Gaelic on an equal footing with English
- The decision has attracted both praise and criticism in equal measure (= to the same degree).
Extra Examples- Fitness is important in sport, but of at least equal importance are skills.
- One pound is roughly equal to two dollars.
- The EU nations together have an economy about equal in size to that of the US.
- The two books are more or less equal in length.
- Their test results were equal in every way.
- Three feet is roughly equal to one metre.
- We moved some of the better players to make the two sides equal.
- Don't you think that both views have equal validity?
- Mix the colours in equal amounts.
- The company employs men and women in roughly equal proportions.
- The ideal would be an equal distribution of wealth between people of different age groups.
- The loan is repaid in equal annual instalments.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- become
- make something
- …
- absolutely
- exactly
- in every way
- …
- in
- to
Want to learn more?
Find out which words work together and produce more natural-sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- having the same rights or being treated the same as other people, without differences such as race, religion or sex being considered
- I believe everyone is born equal.
- a society where women and men are equal partners
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- be born
- genuinely
- truly
- [usually before noun] giving people the same rights and opportunities, without differences such as race, religion or sex being considered
- equal rights/pay
- The company has an equal opportunities policy (= gives the same chances of employment to everyone).
- the desire for a more equal society (= in which everyone has the same rights and chances)
- The US constitution guarantees equal protection under the law.
- The charity's mission is to help provide equal access to education.
- the principles of equal treatment and non-discrimination
- equal to something (formal) having the necessary strength, courage and ability to deal with something successfully
- I hope that he proves equal to the challenge.
Extra ExamplesTopics Successc2- I felt more than equal to the task.
- I felt that nothing could make me equal to the demands being made of me.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- feel
- prove
- …
- more than
see also equally
Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin aequalis, from aequus ‘even, level, equal’.
Idioms
See equal in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee equal in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishall/other things being equal
- if the conditions stay the same; if other conditions are the same
- All things being equal, we should finish the job tomorrow.
- All other things being equal, the bigger fighter should win.
on equal terms (with somebody)
- having the same advantages and disadvantages as somebody else
- Can our industry compete on equal terms with its overseas rivals?
some (people, members, etc.) are more equal than others
- (saying) although the members of a society, group, etc. appear to be equal, some, in fact, get better treatment than others
Check pronunciation:
equal