tantamount

American  

[tan-tuh-mount] / ˈtæn təˌmaʊnt /

adjective

1. equivalent, as in value, force, effect, or signification.

   His angry speech was tantamount to a declaration of war.

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tantamount British  

/ ˈtæntəˌmaʊnt /

adjective

1. as good (as); equivalent in effect (to)

   his statement was tantamount to an admission of guilt

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Related Words

See equal.

Etymology

Origin of tantamount

First recorded in 1635–45; adjective use of obsolete noun, “that which amounts to as much, something equivalent,” itself a noun use of an obsolete verb, “to amount to as much,” from Anglo-French tant amunter or Italian tanto montare “to amount to as much,” from Latin tantum, neuter of adjective tantus “of such size, so great”; tanto, amount

Example Sentences

Then again, to Kelly, an opportunity not taken was tantamount to an opportunity lost.

From The Wall Street Journal

The notion of selling AGI to rival powers such Russia and China struck Dario as tantamount to treason, and he considered quitting.

From The Wall Street Journal

But selling the store is tantamount to discarding his story.

From Los Angeles Times

Fadiah wrote on X that being denied entry was "tantamount to a deliberate attack on my scholarly work".

From BBC

Eritrea, however, sees Ahmed’s maritime aspirations as tantamount to a threat of military aggression.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• commensurate
• identical