match

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
a
: a person or thing equal or similar to another
b
: one able to cope with another
He was no match for his opponent.
c
: an exact counterpart
a lake that was almost the match of one he remembered from Switzerland
2
: a pair suitably associated
carpet and curtains are a match
3
a
: a contest between two or more parties
a golf match
a soccer match
a shouting match
b
: a contest (as in tennis or volleyball) completed when one player or side wins a specified number of sets or games
4
a
: a marriage union
b
: a prospective (see prospective sense 2b) partner in marriage
would make a good match for any man

match

2 of 3

verb

matched; matching; matches

transitive verb

1
a
: to encounter successfully as an antagonist
b(1)
: to set in competition or opposition
(2)
: to provide with a worthy competitor
c
: to set in comparison
2
: to join or give in marriage
3
a(1)
: to put in a set possessing equal or harmonizing attributes
(2)
: to cause to correspond : suit
matched programs to local needs
b(1)
: to be the counterpart of
also : to compare favorably with
(2)
: to harmonize with
the jacket matched the pants
c
: to provide with a counterpart
d
: to provide funds complementary to
employers may match the employee contributionD. J. Miller
4
: to fit together or make suitable for fitting together
5
a
: to flip or toss (coins) and compare exposed faces
b
: to toss coins with

intransitive verb

: to be a counterpart
matchable adjective
matcher noun

match

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: a chemically prepared wick or cord formerly used in firing firearms or powder
2
: a short slender piece of flammable material (such as wood) tipped with a combustible mixture that bursts into flame when slightly heated through friction (as by being scratched against a rough surface)

Examples of match in a Sentence

Verb This color matches your skin tone. She was wearing a beautiful skirt, but her sweater didn't match it. The upbeat music matched her mood. Her skirt and sweater matched perfectly. The pillows on the couch all match. Your socks don't match each other. His story doesn't match the facts.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The city of Fayetteville administration matched the grant to fund two full-time, 40-hour officers trained in crisis intervention to provide co-response, enhancing services. Ron Wood, arkansasonline.com, 23 Mar. 2024 While there was no big winner Friday, five tickets matched five of the numbers to win the game’s $1 million prize, Mega Millions said. Sara Smart, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 The protest action, with its references to science and to government inertia, and with its tightrope walking along the boundaries of free speech, perfectly matched the tone and the content of the play. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2024 In the photos Chopra is dressed in a yellow sari while baby Malti Marie looks adorable in a peachy pink outfit, complete with a matching head wrap. Glamour, 21 Mar. 2024 Castro is sitting in his living room, wearing a black snapback, a matching black turtleneck, and two chunky statement rings to complement the diamond bracelet and silver watch on his wrists. Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2024 The Mega Millions jackpot is still climbing after no ticket matched all the winning numbers drawn Friday. Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press, 23 Mar. 2024 Fox had five first-half steals and finished with six, matching his career high. Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 23 Mar. 2024 The winner matched all six balls in the New Year's Day drawing and chose the cash option of $425.2 million. Emilee Coblentz, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
Noun
In South Florida, severe thunderstorms Friday night delayed departures at the Miami International Airport during the busy spring break season, suspended a popular electronic music festival and disrupted matches at a high-profile tennis tournament. CBS News, 23 Mar. 2024 Five states had a ticket match all five numbers except for the Powerball worth $1 million. Evan Frank, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Mar. 2024 Don’t hesitate to experiment with different hues to see what makes your complexion glow and your eyeglasses a perfect match. William Mullane, Detroit Free Press, 23 Mar. 2024 Butler and Pelicans forward Naji Marshall then got into a shoving match and briefly grabbed each other by the neck. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2024 Hocker Grove Park had spots for roller skating, dancing, watching professional boxing matches and playing basketball. Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 The federal government provided states with a temporary increase in their Medicaid match rate amid the coronavirus pandemic as long as state agencies did not disenroll participants. Alex Thomas, arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2024 Prime Video has exclusive rights to broadcast all international cricket matches to be played against New Zealand Cricket teams. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024 During the weekly events, which are geared toward families, attendees sprawl on blankets sipping wine and others rent VIP boxes while watching matches. Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'match.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb

Middle English macche, from Old English gemæcca mate, equal; akin to Old English macian to make — more at make entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English macche, mecche candlewick, from Anglo-French meche

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of match was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near match

Cite this Entry

“Match.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/match. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

match

1 of 3 noun
1
a
: a person or thing that is equal or similar to or exactly like another
b
: one that can compete or fight successfully with another
a match for the enemy
2
: two persons or things that go well together
curtains and carpet are a good match
3
: a contest between two or more parties
a tennis match
4
b
: a person to be considered as a marriage partner

match

2 of 3 verb
1
: to meet successfully as a competitor
2
a
: to place in competition
matched my strength with my friend's
b
: to provide with a worthy competitor
3
: to join or give in marriage
4
a
: to make or find the equal or the like of
b
: to make correspond
c
: to be the same as or suitable to one another
do these colors match?
5
: to flip or toss coins and compare upper surfaces
matcher noun

match

3 of 3 noun
1
: an evenly burning wick or cord formerly used to ignite a charge of powder
2
: a short slender piece of material (as wood) tipped with a mixture that ignites when scratched against something else
Etymology

Noun

Old English gemæcca "mate, equal"

Noun

Middle English macche "a wick," from early French meiche (same meaning)

More from Merriam-Webster on match

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!