Standard Lemma guide

equalize

verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈiːkwəlaɪz/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈikwəˌlaɪz/
  • CMU ARPABET: IY1 K W AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make equal; to cause to correspond in amount or degree.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • to equalize accounts, burdens, or taxes

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To be equal to; to equal, to rival.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To make the scoreline equal by scoring points.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To clear the ears to balance the pressure in the middle ear with the outside pressure by letting air enter along the Eustachian tubes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: diving, hobbies, lifestyle, sports, underwater-diving

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

to precompose with each of a parallel pair of morphisms so as to yield the same composite morphism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: category-theory, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To adjust the balance between frequency components within an electronic signal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences, signal-processing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • let's equalize the duties among all employees in this office
  • The company matched the discount policy of its competitors

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: equal, match, equalise, equate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

Narrower terms: homologize, homologise, homogenize, homogenise, tie, draw

8

verb

Meaning 8

compensate; make the score equal

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: equalise, get even

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: score, hit, tally, rack up

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English equal Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English equalize From equal + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

54 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: изравнявам (izravnjavam) — to make equal
  • Catalan: igualar — to make equal
  • Finnish: tasata — to make equal
  • Finnish: tasapuolistaa — to make equal
  • Finnish: tasa-arvoistaa — to make equal
  • French: égaliser — to make equal
  • Galician: igualar — to make equal
  • Galician: igar — to make equal
  • German: ausgleichen — to make equal
  • Greek: εξισώνω (exisóno) — to make equal
  • Hungarian: kiegyenlít — to make equal
  • Hungarian: egyensúlyba hoz — to make equal
  • Hungarian: egalizál — to make equal
  • Ido: egaligar — to make equal
  • Italian: uguagliare — to make equal
  • Latin: aequō — to make equal
  • Māori: whakaōrite — to make equal
  • Māori: hōrite — to make equal
  • Māori: whakataurite — to make equal
  • Portuguese: igualar — to make equal
  • Russian: ура́внивать (urávnivatʹ) — to make equal
  • Russian: уравня́ть (uravnjátʹ) — to make equal
  • Russian: выра́внивать (vyrávnivatʹ) — to make equal
  • Russian: вы́ровнять (výrovnjatʹ) — to make equal
  • Spanish: igualar — to make equal
  • Tibetan: སྙོམ (snyom) — to make equal
  • Ukrainian: зрівнювати (zrivnjuvaty) — to make equal
  • Ukrainian: зрівняти (zrivnjaty) — to make equal
  • Ukrainian: вирі́внювати (vyrívnjuvaty) — to make equal
  • Ukrainian: ви́рівняти (výrivnjaty) — to make equal
  • Bulgarian: изравнявам (izravnjavam) — to make the score equal
  • Chinese Mandarin: 均等化 (jūnděnghuà) — to make the score equal
  • Chinese Mandarin: 等化 (děnghuà) — to make the score equal
  • Chinese Mandarin: 平等化 (píngděnghuà) — to make the score equal
  • Finnish: tasoittaa — to make the score equal
  • Finnish: yhtäläistää — to make the score equal
  • Finnish: yhdenmukaistaa — to make the score equal
  • Finnish: tasapäistää — to make the score equal
  • French: égaliser — to make the score equal
  • German: ausgleichen — to make the score equal
  • Hebrew: השווה (hishvá) — to make the score equal
  • Hungarian: egyenlít — to make the score equal
  • Hungarian: kiegyenlít — to make the score equal
  • Italian: uguagliare — to make the score equal
  • Japanese: 平等にする (byōdō ni suru) — to make the score equal
  • Northern Kurdish: wekhev kirin — to make the score equal
  • Portuguese: igualar — to make the score equal
  • Russian: выра́внивать (vyrávnivatʹ) — to make the score equal
  • Russian: вы́ровнять (výrovnjatʹ) — to make the score equal
  • Spanish: empatar — to make the score equal
  • Spanish: igualar — to make the score equal
  • Bulgarian: изравнявам (izravnjavam) — to clear the ears
  • German: den Druck im Ohr ausgleichen — to clear the ears
  • Italian: compensare — to clear the ears