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tantamount

Adjective

IPA /ˈtæntəmaʊnt/

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Meaning in plain English

Effectively equal to something else, usually in its negative consequences.

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Pronunciation

tantamount/ˈtæntəmaʊnt/

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Heat continually escapes outdoors
Heating money is effectively wasted

Leaving the windows open all winter is tantamount to wasting the heating: the practical effect is equivalent.

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Leaving the windows open all winter would be tantamount to wasting the heating.
Ignoring the results would be tantamount to abandoning the purpose of the study.

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Leaving the windows open all winter would be ________ to wasting the heating.

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tantamount — Effectively equal to something else, usually in its negative consequences.

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Effectively equal to something else, usually in its negative consequences.

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Word origin

From an older verb meaning to amount to as much, based on Italian tanto montare.

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Tantamount to doing something compares an action with its practical equivalent.

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