Tantamount
— equivalent to; same as
Tantamount means equivalent in seriousness, effect, or value — essentially the same as something else. It is almost always followed by "to" and is used to draw a strong comparison between two things, arguing that one is virtually identical to the other in its impact.
Saying "this is tantamount to fraud" means the action is so close to fraud that it might as well be fraud. The word is frequently used in legal, political, and moral arguments to equate one thing with another — especially when the speaker wants to emphasize the gravity of a situation.
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Memory Mnemonic
TENT A MOUNT
The keyword TENT A MOUNT comes from how Tantamount sounds when spoken aloud. This pronunciation connection makes it easy to recall the keyword whenever you hear or see the word.
Memory Link
Pitching a TENT on A MOUNT is the same as camping—equivalent to and same as!
Picture pitching a TENT on A MOUNT — and realizing that it is exactly the same as camping. Tent on a mount equals camping; one thing is equivalent to the other. Visualise the tent perched on the mountaintop and someone saying, "This is the same thing as camping!" That direct equivalence — one thing being essentially equal to another — is tantamount.
HOW TO MEMORIZE VOCABULARY
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Step 1: Derive a keyword from the word based on how the word is spelled or pronounced. Next time you see the word, you will be able to derive the keyword from it because it is based on the word.
Step 2: Form a visual memory link that connects the keyword and the meaning(s) of the word you are learning.
Step 3: Ensure to Visualise the image, see it in your imagination. This is important even if it takes a few seconds.
Usage Examples
- Ignoring the safety warnings was tantamount to putting lives at risk deliberately.
- The ambassador warned that withdrawing troops would be tantamount to abandoning their allies.
- His silence on the matter was tantamount to an admission of guilt.
- Cutting the research budget by eighty percent is tantamount to shutting the program down entirely.
- The lawyer argued that the clause was tantamount to a forced confession.
Etymology of Tantamount
From Anglo-French tant amunter, meaning "to amount to as much," from Old French tant (as much) + amunter (to amount to, to ascend). The word entered English in the 17th century and has always been used to express equivalence — that one thing amounts to the same as another.
Synonyms & Antonyms of Tantamount
Synonyms
Antonyms
Common Collocations with Tantamount
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