English Reference

Word

equation

Phoneticsequa·tion

US/ɪˈkweɪʒən/

UK/ɪkwˈeɪʒən/

Definitions

01mathematics

B1 · Math

n. a mathematical statement that shows two amounts are equal using an equals sign (=).

n. a formal statement of equality between two mathematical expressions, typically containing one or more variables.

“The students spent the afternoon solving a difficult algebra equation.”

“The physicist derived a complex differential equation to model the fluid dynamics of the cooling system.”

Usage

Countable; often used with the verbs 'solve', 'balance', or 'derive'.

Antonyms

02balancing factors

B2

n. a situation where you must consider several different things to find a solution or understand a problem.

n. a complex situation or set of variables that must be balanced or considered as a whole.

“Money is only one part of the equation when you are choosing a new job.”

“When planning urban expansion, environmental preservation must remain a central part of the equation.”

Usage

Often used in the phrase 'part of the equation'.

03equating things

C1

n. the act of treating two different things as if they are the same.

n. the process of equating two or more elements or the state of being equal.

“The equation of wealth with happiness is a common mistake in modern society.”

“The author's simplistic equation of political dissent with treason was widely criticised by civil rights advocates.”

Academic

Antonyms

04astronomical correction

C2 · Science

n. a small change made to a measurement to fix a regular error.

n. a small correction applied to observed values to compensate for systematic errors or variations.

“The scientist applied a time equation to the data to get a more accurate result.”

“The equation of time accounts for the discrepancy between apparent solar time and mean solar time throughout the calendar year.”

Technical

Real-World Examples

“Part of the equation remains what we cannot see: the chemistry within a team, the relationship with a specific coach, playing in a system that brings out the best in every player.”
The Guardian · 20 Dec 2025
“His fee, however, illustrates how quickly the equation can change once a teenager proves himself at senior level.”
BBC News · 15 Aug 2026
“That could be because adding money to the equation makes it feel like “there’s actually a hard deadline,” said ChoGlueck.”
Ars Technica · 10 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Old French, from Latin aequātiō (“an equalizing”). Morphologically equate + -ion

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Domains

AstronomyMathematics

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

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