Square — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb adverb /ˈskwer/

Meaning & Definition of Square

Square (noun)

  1. an instrument having at least one right angle and two straight edges used especially to lay out or test right angles
  2. a rectangle with all four sides equal
  3. any of the quadrilateral spaces marked out on a board for playing games

Square (adjective)

  1. having four equal sides and four right angles
  2. forming a right angle
  3. having a square base

Square (verb)

  1. to make square or rectangular
  2. to test for deviation from a right angle, straight line, or plane surface
  3. to bring approximately to a right angle

Square (adverb)

  1. in a straightforward or honest manner
  2. so as to face or be face-to-face
  3. at right angles

Square (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having four equal sides and four right angles

    "a square room"

    similar: foursquare, quadrate
    related: blockish, blocky, boxlike, boxy, cubic, cubical, cuboid, squarish, rectangular

  2. marked by justice, honesty, and freedom from bias

    "received a square hearing from the disciplinary panel"

    similar: candid, disinterested, dispassionate, equal, equitable, evenhanded, fair, impartial, indifferent, just, nonpartisan, objective, unbiased, unprejudiced
    related: frank, forthright, open, straight, straightforward, balanced, rational, reasonable
    opposite: biased, ex parte, inequitable, nonobjective, one-sided, partial, parti pris, partisan, prejudiced, unjust
    near: deceitful, deceptive, dishonest, arbitrary, unconscionable, unreasonable, jaundiced, unfriendly, unsympathetic, colored, distorted, warped

Square (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to be in agreement on every point

    "that explanation squares entirely with the evidence that we've seen"

    similar: accord, agree, answer, check, chord, cohere, coincide, comport, conform, consist, correspond, dovetail, fit, go, harmonize, jibe, rhyme, sort, tally, fall in with
    related: equal, match, parallel, align, line up, register
    opposite: differ (from), disagree (with)
    near: contradict, dispute, gainsay, negate, nullify, clash, conflict, jar

  2. to influence someone with a bribe

    "tried to square the police officer into ignoring the illegal operation"

    similar: bribe, buy, corrupt, have, pay off, get at, grease the hand of, oil the hand of
    related: fix, tamper (with), abase, debase, debauch, defile, degrade, demean, deprave, dishonor, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, taint, warp, allure, bait, beguile, entice, lead on, lure, seduce, tempt, motivate, provoke, spur, stimulate, goad, induce, flatter, persuade, snare, trap

Square (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in place, plaza

    similar: forecourt, place, plaza, atrium, galleria, parvis, peristyle, deck, terrace, close, court, courtyard, enclosure, patio, quad, quadrangle, yard, curtilage

  2. as in fuddy-duddy, standpatter

    similar: fuddy-duddy, standpatter, stuffed shirt, traditionalist, middle-of-the-roader, moderate, conformer, conformist, conventionalist, follower
    opposite: bohemian, boho, counterculturist, deviant, enfant terrible, free spirit, heretic, iconoclast, individualist, loner, lone ranger, lone wolf, maverick, nonconformer, nonconformist, freethinker, renegade

Related Entry: Square (off) (verb)

Square (off) is a different word from Square. The synonyms below are for square (off), not for square.

  1. as in fight, battle

    similar: battle, combat, contend (with), fight, oppose, repel, resist, stand, withstand, accost, approach, corner, encounter, meet, challenge, affront, face up (to), front, beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave, outface
    opposite: dodge, duck, funk, shirk, sidestep, avoid, eschew, shun, elude, escape, evade, shake

Related Entry: Square away (verb)

Square away is a different word from Square. The synonyms below are for square away, not for square.

  1. as in work out, plan

    similar: blueprint, calculate, chart, concert, design, draft, frame, hammer out, intrigue, lay out, maneuver, map (out), plan, program, schematize, scheme, shape, work out, contract, pledge, promise, choose, conclude, determine, figure, opt, resolve, agree (on), arrange, decide, fix, set, settle, affirm, approve, authorize, clear, confirm, OK, sanction, warrant, close, complete, end, finalize, finish, round (off or out), wind up, wrap up, bargain, chaffer, deal, dicker, haggle, horse-trade, negotiate
    opposite: abort, call, call off, drop, recall, repeal, rescind, revoke, differ (over), disagree (with), counter, debate, object, oppose, protest, resist, contest, dispute

Related Entry: Square dance (noun)

Square dance is a different word from Square. The synonyms below are for square dance, not for square.

  1. as in hoedown

    similar: hoedown, blowout, celebration, event, festival, festivity, fete, gala, masque, masquerade, mixer, party, reception, shindig, soiree, ball, cotillion, dance, formal, hop, prom

Related Entry: Square dances (noun)

Square dances is a different word from Square. The synonyms below are for square dances, not for square.

  1. as in hoedowns

    similar: hoedowns, blowouts, celebrations, events, festivals, festivities, fetes, galas, masquerades, masques, mixers, parties, receptions, shindigs, soirees, balls, cotillions, dances, formals, hops, proms

Related Entry: Square one (noun)

Square one is a different word from Square. The synonyms below are for square one, not for square.

  1. as in first base, ground zero

    similar: drawing board, first base, ground zero, alpha, baseline, beginning, birth, commencement, dawn, day one, genesis, get-go, inception, incipience, incipiency, kickoff, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, start, threshold, creation, founding, inauguration, initiation, institution, origination, cradle, fountain, fountainhead, germ, origin, root, seedbed, source, spring, well, wellspring, dawning, opening, advent, appearance, arrival, debut, emergence, childhood, infancy, youth
    opposite: close, conclusion, end, ending, omega, cessation, closing, closure, completion, finale, finish, period, stop, termination, windup

Related Entry: Square ones (noun)

Square ones is a different word from Square. The synonyms below are for square ones, not for square.

  1. as in first bases, ground zeros

    similar: drawing boards, first bases, ground zeros, alphas, baselines, beginnings, births, commencements, dawns, day ones, geneses, get-goes, inceptions, incipiences, incipiencies, kickoffs, launches, mornings, nascences, nascencies, onsets, outsets, starts, thresholds, creations, inaugurations, initiations, institutions, originations, cradles, fountainheads, fountains, germs, origins, roots, seedbeds, sources, springs, wells, wellsprings, openings, advents, appearances, arrivals, debuts, emergences, childhoods, infancies, youths
    opposite: closes, conclusions, endings, ends, omegas, cessations, closings, closures, completions, finales, finishes, periods, stops, terminations, windups

Related Entry: Square shooter (noun)

Square shooter is a different word from Square. The synonyms below are for square shooter, not for square.

  1. as in straight shooter

    similar: straight shooter
    opposite: charlatan, deceiver, double-dealer, fake, faker, fraud, hypocrite, impostor, phony, bluffer, counterfeiter, dissembler, feigner, pretender, sham, fabricator, fabulist, fibber, liar, prevaricator, storyteller

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Square

The most common words with a similar meaning to Square:

foursquare, quadrate, candid, disinterested, dispassionate, equal, equitable, evenhanded, fair, impartial, indifferent, just, nonpartisan, objective, unbiased, unprejudiced, accord, agree, answer, check, chord, cohere, coincide, comport, conform, consist, correspond, dovetail, fit, go, harmonize, jibe, rhyme, sort, tally, bribe, buy, corrupt, have, pay off

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Square

Words with the opposite meaning of Square:

biased, ex parte, inequitable, nonobjective, one-sided, partial, parti pris, partisan, prejudiced, unjust, differ (from), disagree (with), bohemian, boho, counterculturist, deviant, enfant terrible, free spirit, heretic, iconoclast, individualist, loner, lone ranger, lone wolf, maverick, nonconformer, nonconformist, freethinker, renegade

Related Words for Square

blockish, blocky, boxlike, boxy, cubic, cubical, cuboid, squarish, rectangular, frank, forthright, open, straight, straightforward, balanced, rational, reasonable, match, parallel, align, line up, register, fix, tamper (with), abase, debase, debauch, defile, degrade, demean

Near Antonyms of Square

deceitful, deceptive, dishonest, arbitrary, unconscionable, unreasonable, jaundiced, unfriendly, unsympathetic, colored, distorted, warped, contradict, dispute, gainsay, negate, nullify, clash, conflict, jar

Word Forms of Square

Inflections: squarer, squarest, squared, squaring

Derived words: squareness (noun), squarer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Square

Middle English, from Anglo-French esquarre, from Vulgar Latin *exquadra, from *exquadrare to square, from Latin ex- + quadrare to square quadrate

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Square

Words & Phrases Containing Square

square away, square bracket, square dance, square knot, square matrix, square measure

Frequently Asked Questions about Square

What does "Square" mean?

"Square" means an instrument having at least one right angle and two straight edges used especially to lay out or test right angles. As an a noun, an adjective, a verb and an adverb, it is defined as: an instrument having at least one right angle and two straight edges used especially to lay out or test right angles. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Square"?

Other words for "Square" include foursquare, quadrate, candid, disinterested, dispassionate, equal, equitable and evenhanded. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Square" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Square"?

There are 129 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Square". Common alternatives include foursquare, quadrate, candid, disinterested, dispassionate, equal, equitable, evenhanded, fair and impartial.

What is the opposite of "Square"?

Antonyms of "Square" include biased, ex parte, inequitable, nonobjective, one-sided, partial, parti pris and partisan. Near antonyms include deceitful, deceptive, dishonest and arbitrary.

How do you use "Square" in a sentence?

Examples of "Square" in a sentence: "a square room"; "received a square hearing from the disciplinary panel"; "that explanation squares entirely with the evidence that we've seen".

Is "Square" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Square" can be used as a noun, an adjective, a verb and an adverb, depending on the context.

Is "Square" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Square" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Square"?

"Square" is pronounced /ˈskwer/.