identical

adjective

iden·​ti·​cal ī-ˈden-ti-kəl How to pronounce identical (audio)
ə-
1
: being the same : selfsame
the identical place we stopped before
2
: having such close resemblance as to be essentially the same
identical hats
often used with to or with
3
a
: having the same cause or origin
identical infections
identically adverb
identicalness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for identical

same, selfsame, very, identical, equivalent, equal mean not different or not differing from one another.

same may imply and selfsame always implies that the things under consideration are one thing and not two or more things.

took the same route
derived from the selfsame source

very, like selfsame, may imply identity, or, like same may imply likeness in kind.

the very point I was trying to make

identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details.

identical results

equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance.

two houses equivalent in market value

equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality.

equal shares in the business

Examples of identical in a Sentence

We visited the identical place we stopped at last year. They were wearing identical coats. The boxes were identical in shape. They drove virtually identical cars. The results were identical to those of the first test.
Recent Examples on the Web The former philosophy student—who can reportedly solve a Rubik’s cube in less than three minutes—also has a cabinet in his office stocked with 20 identical pairs of swimming goggles, and practices the meditative art of Qigong every day. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2024 Four lightweight carbon legs and 12 identical motors propel it towards its target. Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024 Camera specifications otherwise sound almost identical, besides perhaps recording 1080p at 240fps, potentially for smoother slow-mo footage than its 120fps predecessor. Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 13 Mar. 2024 New players will receive an identical 100% match up to $1,000 for each of their first three deposits, totaling to a $3,000 welcome package! Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 The car, which looks almost identical from the outside to its internal combustion counterpart, is eerily quiet even at highway speeds. Jack Ewing, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Youngkin has not acted on an identical Senate bill. Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Last fall, an identical bill overwhelmingly passed the Legislature but was vetoed by Newsom. Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2024 And yet, in a race defined by the struggle to stand out, the ads flooding YouTube, Instagram and Facebook feel almost identical. Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'identical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably from Medieval Latin identicus, from Late Latin identitas

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of identical was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near identical

Cite this Entry

“Identical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/identical. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

identical

adjective
iden·​ti·​cal ī-ˈdent-i-kəl How to pronounce identical (audio)
ə-ˈdent-
1
: being one and the same
the identical place we stopped at last year
2
: exactly alike or equal
wearing identical coats
identically adverb
identicalness noun

Medical Definition

identical

adjective
iden·​ti·​cal ī-ˈdent-i-kəl, ə- How to pronounce identical (audio)
: monozygotic
identical twins

More from Merriam-Webster on identical

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