What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Equivocal vs Equal - What's the difference?

equivocal | equal |

As nouns the difference between equivocal and equal

is that equivocal is a word or expression capable of different meanings; an ambiguous term; an equivoque while equal is a person or thing of equal status to others.

As adjectives the difference between equivocal and equal

is that equivocal is having two or more equally applicable meanings; capable of double or multiple interpretation; ambiguous; uncertain while equal is the same in all respects.

As a verb equal is

to be equal to, to have the same value as; to correspond to.

equivocal

English

(Webster 1913)

Alternative forms

* (rare)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A word or expression capable of different meanings; an ambiguous term; an equivoque.

    • Synonyms

    * double entendre

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having two or more equally applicable meanings; capable of double or multiple interpretation; ambiguous; uncertain.
    • equivocal''' words; an '''equivocal sentence
  • * Jeffrey
    • For the beauties of Shakespeare are not of so dim or equivocal a nature as to be visible only to learned eyes.
  • Capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected.
    • His actions are equivocal .
  • * Milton
    • equivocal repentances
  • Uncertain, as an indication or sign; doubtful, incongruous.
  • * Burke
    • How equivocal a test.

    Synonyms

    * ambiguous, doubtful, uncertain, indeterminate

    Antonyms

    * unequivocal * (l)

    Derived terms

    * equivocalness

    Related terms

    * equivocation * equivoque

    External links

    * *

    equal

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic) * (archaic)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (label) The same in all respects.
  • * (1671-1743)
    • They who are not disposed to receive them may let them alone or reject them; it is equal to me.
  • Exactly identical, having the same value.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=10 , passage=The skipper Mr. Cooke had hired at Far Harbor was a God-fearing man with a luke warm interest in his new billet and employer, and had only been prevailed upon to take charge of the yacht after the offer of an emolument equal to half a year's sea pay of an ensign in the navy.}}
  • (label) Fair, impartial.
  • * 1644 , (John Milton), (Aeropagitica) :
    • it could not but much redound to the lustre of your milde and equall Government, when as private persons are hereby animated to thinke ye better pleas'd with publick advice, then other statists have been delighted heretofore with publicke flattery.
  • * Bible, (w) xviii. 29
    • Are not my ways equal ?
  • * (Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
    • Thee, O Jove, no equal judge I deem.
  • (label) Adequate; sufficiently capable or qualified.
  • * 1881 , (Jane Austen), , p. 311
    • her comprehension was certainly more equal to the covert meaning, the superior intelligence, of those five letters so arranged.
  • * (1609-1674)
    • The Scots trusted not their own numbers as equal to fight with the English.
  • * (John Dryden) (1631-1700)
    • It is not permitted to me to make my commendations equal to your merit.
  • * (Ralph Waldo Emerson) (1803-1882)
    • whose voice an equal messenger / Conveyed thy meaning mild.
  • (label) Not variable; equable; uniform; even.
  • * (John Dryden) (1631-1700)
    • an equal temper
  • (label) Intended for voices of one kind only, either all male or all female; not mixed.

    • Usage notes

    *

    Synonyms

    * (the same in all respects) identical * (exactly identical) equivalent, identical * (unvarying) even, fair, uniform, unvarying

    Verb

  • (mathematics) To be equal to, to have the same value as; to correspond to.
    • Two plus two equals four.
  • To be equivalent to; to match
  • * 2004 , Mary Levy and Jim Kelly, Marv Levy: Where Else Would You Rather Be?
    • There was an even more remarkable attendance figure that underscores the devotion exhibited by our fans, because it was in 1991 that they set a single season in-stadium attendance record that has never been equaled .
  • (informal) To have as its consequence.
    • Losing this deal equals losing your job.
    Might does not equal right.

    Synonyms

    * (to be equal to) be, is * (sense) entail, imply, lead to, mean, result in, spell

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person or thing of equal status to others.
    • We're all equals here.
    This beer has no equal .
  • * Addison
    • Those who were once his equals envy and defame him.
  • (obsolete) State of being equal; equality.
    • (Spenser)

    Synonyms

    * (person or thing of equal status to others) peer

    Derived terms

    * equally * equalize/equalise * unequal * equal temperament

    Related terms

    * equality

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words