Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Equivalent in effect or value.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To be tantamount or equivalent.
- Equivalent, as in value, force, effect, or signification.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Equivalent in value, signification, or effect.
- intransitive verb obsolete To be tantamount or equivalent; to amount.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb obsolete To amount to as much; to be
equivalent . - noun obsolete Something which has the same value or amount (as something else). (attributive use passing into adjective, below)
- adjective
Equivalent in meaning or effect.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective being essentially equal to something
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word tantamount.
Examples
-
It began when the band refused permission for their music to be covered by the Glee cast, which they described as tantamount to "selling out".
The Guardian World News Alexis Petridis 2011
-
He faced a wave of criticism for saying Monday that Texas would treat Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke "ugly" if he pursues more stimulus -- an action he described as tantamount to treason.
FOXNews.com 2011
-
I consider the regime's retreat in the matter of women's political participation-which at one point it called tantamount to prostitution-an extremely positive point.
AWID RSS Feed 2008
-
One of the McCain campaign's chief assaults on Barack Obama is that McCain is insisting that the troops return only after "victory" in Iraq, while Obama refuses to use that word -- a position the McCain forces describe as tantamount to wanting to lose.
Petraeus: I Don't Know That I Will Ever Use The Word "Victory" For Iraq 2009
-
One of the McCain campaign's chief assaults on Barack Obama is that McCain is insisting that the troops return only after "victory" in Iraq, while Obama refuses to use that word -- a position the McCain forces describe as tantamount to wanting to lose.
Iraq 2009
-
And it was this move, Rob, that North Korea called tantamount to a declaration of war.
-
He was received with flawless, cold courtesy—the “ceremonious civility” which Washington had once described as tantamount to incivility.
Washington Richard Harwell 1968
-
He was received with flawless, cold courtesy—the “ceremonious civility” which Washington had once described as tantamount to incivility.
Washington Richard Harwell 1968
-
He was received with flawless, cold courtesy—the “ceremonious civility” which Washington had once described as tantamount to incivility.
Washington Richard Harwell 1968
-
He was received with flawless, cold courtesy—the “ceremonious civility” which Washington had once described as tantamount to incivility.
Washington Richard Harwell 1968
mohitanand commented on the word tantamount
being essentially equal to something
In many situations, remaining silent is tantamount to admitting guilt, so speak to prove your innocence.
October 19, 2016