noun

match

mach

noun

An organized contest between competitors, as in sport.

"They watched the tennis match go to a third set."

"The boxing match ended in a knockout in round two."

Something or someone equal or corresponding to another.

"Her wit was more than a match for his sarcasm."

A small stick tipped with a substance that ignites by friction.

"He struck a match to light the candles."

verb

To correspond to, resemble, or be equivalent to something else.

"Her shoes matched her handbag perfectly."

"The suspect's fingerprints matched those found at the scene."

To pair or fit things together suitably.

"The app matches users based on shared interests."

How to Use Match

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDepending on context: a sports contest, something that corresponds to another thing, or the small stick you strike to make fire.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the sporting "match" with a "game" — in some sports (tennis, cricket) they mean different things: a match can contain multiple games or innings.

Common pairings

football match perfect match strike a match

Word Forms

matched past tense, matches plural, matches plural, matches singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

They watched the tennis _____ go to a third set.

Etymology

The "equal/pair" sense traces to Old English mæcca ("companion, mate"); the "fire-stick" sense is a separate, later development referring to a wick or fuse used to carry flame.

Antonyms

differ

Related Words

differ resemble

Rhymes for match

tch etch itch Dutch catch batch pitch watch witch hutch hatch ditch

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