equate

verb

i-ˈkwāt 

ˈē-ˌkwāt

equated; equating

transitive verb

1

a

: to make equal : equalize

b

: to make such an allowance or correction in as will reduce to a common standard or obtain a correct result

2

: to treat, represent, or regard as equal, equivalent, or comparable

equates disagreement with disloyalty

intransitive verb

: to correspond as equal

Synonyms

• compare
• liken

Examples of equate in a Sentence

You shouldn't equate those two things.

a value system that equates money with success

Recent Examples on the Web

This was especially true as business interests, working to undermine progressive New Deal labor policies such as a federal minimum wage and unemployment insurance, openly equated support for these policies with Communism. —Rebecca Brenner Graham / Made By History, TIME, 4 Mar. 2025

Aside from the lack of basic human compassion on display, this was a gross effort to equate diversity with incompetence. —Ginger Cassady, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025

The order equates gender identity with other health issues like eating, sleep, depression and other illnesses Americans live with chronically and are treatable by therapy and prescribed medications. —Trans Formations Project, Them, 31 Jan. 2025

While the cause of the crash isn't yet known, Trump implicitly equated racial, gender and other forms of diversity with a lower-quality federal workforce. —Ivana Saric, Axios, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin aequatus, past participle of aequare

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing equate

• equate to
• equate with/and

Rhymes for equate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

equate

verb

i-ˈkwāt 

equated; equating

: to make or treat as equal or equivalent