# equate

/ɪˈkweɪt/ (US) · /ɪkwˈeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/equate
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to consider as equal

verb · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

to think that two things are the same or have the same importance.

For teachers: to consider or describe one thing as being equivalent to another. Often used in the passive voice or with the preposition 'with'.

- Many people equate wealth with happiness, but that is not always true.
- The report warns against the tendency to equate high test scores exclusively with academic intelligence, ignoring other vital cognitive skills.

Usage: Commonly used in the pattern 'equate X with Y'.

### 2. to make equal

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

to make two things equal in size, amount, or value.

For teachers: to make two or more quantities or entities equal. This sense is frequently used in mathematical or technical contexts.

- The new law aims to equate the rights of part-time and full-time workers.
- In the final step of the proof, the mathematician had to equate the two variables to solve for the unknown constant.

Usage: Often used as a transitive verb taking a direct object.

### 3. programming command

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a command in computer code that gives a name to a specific number or value.

For teachers: a statement in assembly language that defines a symbol as having a specific value. This is a highly specialized technical term.

- The programmer used an equate to define the memory address for the screen.
- By using an equate for the port address, the developer made the assembly code much easier to read and maintain.

Usage: Used as a countable noun in low-level programming contexts.

Teaching tip: This sense is very rare outside of assembly language programming; general learners should focus on the verb forms.

## Examples

- Many people equate wealth with happiness.
- In many political debates, critics often equate a lack of regulation with a lack of safety for the public.
- The study warns that we should not equate a high volume of social media engagement with genuine political influence, as the two metrics often diverge significantly.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.