equality
gb/ɪkwˈɑləti/ us/ɪkwˈɑləti/
B1
English
~ 6900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
equal rights and status for all
A situation where all people have the same rights, chances, and respect, and no group is treated worse or better than others.
Usage pattern:
equality between [groups] / equality for [group]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "equality" with "equity". "Equality" usually means giving everyone the same rights or resources, while "equity" means giving people what they need so that the results are fair. Learners also sometimes say *"the equal" or "the equality people"* instead of using adjectives: e.g. say "equal rights" or "equality for all people".
Synonyms
fairness (Broader and more emotional; can refer to general just treatment, not only to rights and status between groups.)
|
equity (Often used in policy contexts; focuses on fair outcomes and support, not just identical treatment.)
Antonyms
inequality (General opposite; refers to an unfair difference in rights, status, or living conditions between people or groups.)
|
discrimination (Focuses on the unfair treatment that prevents equality from being achieved.)
Collocations
gender equality
|racial equality
|equality before the law
|equality of opportunity
|fight for equality
|promote equality
Themes
society
|politics
|law
Examples
- They are campaigning for equality between men and women in the workplace.
- Racial equality remains a major issue in many countries.
- The new law is designed to promote equality for people with disabilities.
- True equality means that everyone has the same chance to succeed, regardless of their background.
Learner examples
- Many people marched in the city to ask for equality for all people.
- The company is working to improve gender equality in pay and leadership.
- Good schools for every child are important for social equality.
- The group helps refugees and fights for their equality in society.
Noun
B2
state
2
being the same in amount or level
A situation where two or more things have the same amount, size, value, or level.
Usage pattern:
equality of [amount/condition]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "equality" when "balance" or "similarity" would be more natural, e.g. saying *"equality of colors"* instead of "similar colors". Use "equality" when you want to stress that amounts, size, value, or level are the same, often in a factual or measurable way.
Synonyms
sameness (More general and informal; can refer to simple lack of difference, not only to measurable amounts.)
|
parity (More formal; often used for equal value or level, especially in economic or technical contexts.)
Antonyms
imbalance (Highlights an uneven or unequal distribution in size, amount, or level.)
|
disparity (More formal; stresses a noticeable difference in amount, size, or level.)
Collocations
equality of size
|equality of power
|equality of income
|equality of resources
|equality in performance
Themes
math
|science
|measurement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There is no equality of income between the regions, with the north much poorer than the south.
- The treaty aimed to create military equality between the two countries.
- We need equality of access to clean water in both rural and urban areas.
- The coach focused on equality of effort, expecting the same level of commitment from every player.
Learner examples
- There is no equality of money between the rich and the poor.
- The two teams did not have equality of skill.
- The plan tries to reach equality of health care in all parts of the country.
- We want equality of time for each speaker in the debate.
Noun
technical
B1
relation
3
mathematical sameness of value
In math, a relation that shows two numbers or expressions have the same value, usually written with the sign '='.
Usage pattern:
equality between [numbers/expressions]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"make an equality"* instead of "write an equation" or "show that the two sides are equal." In math, "equation" is the full statement like "3 + 4 = 7", and "equality" is the relation of being the same in value.
Synonyms
equivalence (A technical term; in some areas of math and logic, it can be similar to equality but may allow different objects that behave the same in a given context.)
Antonyms
inequality (In mathematics, describes the relation where one value is greater than or less than another, expressed with signs like '>' or '<'.)
Collocations
test for equality
|check equality
|equality sign
|equality of two expressions
|logical equality
Themes
math
|education
|science
Examples
- The equality 3 + 4 = 7 is true for all real numbers.
- In this exercise, you must test the equality of the two algebraic expressions.
- Logical equality means that two statements are true in exactly the same situations.
Learner examples
- In this problem, you need to show the equality of the two fractions.
- Use the equality sign when the two numbers are the same.
- The teacher asked us to check the equality of the left and right sides of the equation.
Grammar
Dictionary form
equality
IPA
GB/ɪkwˈɑləti/
US/ɪkwˈɑləti/
Syllables & stress
equal - ity (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ity)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: equality
- Plural: equalities, equality
Word family
Forms
equalities
noun
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
equalize
verb
equalization
noun
Expressions
equality before the law
1/ɪkwˈɑləti bɪfˈɔɹ ðə lˈɔ/
fixed phrase
formal
same legal treatment for everyone
The idea that the law must treat every person in the same way, without giving better or worse treatment to any group.
Examples
- Equality before the law is a basic principle of modern democracies.
- Human rights groups say that true equality before the law does not yet exist in that country.
equality of opportunity
1/ɪkwˈɑləti əv ˌɑpɚtˈunɪti/
fixed phrase
same chances for success
A situation where all people have the same chances in life, for example in education and work, no matter where they come from or who their parents are.
Examples
- The program was created to support equality of opportunity for children from poor families.
- Many politicians talk about equality of opportunity but disagree about how to achieve it.
marriage equality
1/mˈɛɹɪd͡ʒ ɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
equal marriage rights for couples
The idea that same-sex couples and different-sex couples should have the same legal right to get married.
Examples
- Activists celebrated when marriage equality became law across the country.
- The debate over marriage equality has changed many people’s views on LGBTQ+ rights.
racial equality
1/ɹˈeɪʃəl ɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
equal rights for all races
A situation where people of every race have the same rights, chances, and respect, and are not treated worse because of their race or skin color.
Examples
- The movement for racial equality changed many laws in the 1960s.
- Racial equality remains a central goal for many community organizations.
gender equality
1/d͡ʒˈɛndɚ ɪkwˈɑləti/
fixed phrase
equal rights for all genders
When men, women, and other genders have the same rights and chances in life.
Examples
- The new law aims to promote gender equality in education.
- Schools play an important role in promoting gender equality.
- Gender equality is still not a reality in many countries.
- The report warns that gender equality is still far from reality in many workplaces.