(ăz; əz when unstressed)
adverb- To the same extent or degree; equally: The child sang as sweetly as a nightingale.
- For instance: large carnivores, as the bear or lion.
- When taken into consideration in a specified relation or form: this definition as distinguished from the second one.
conjunction- To the same degree or quantity that. Often used as a correlative after so or as: You are as sweet as sugar. The situation is not so bad as you suggest.
- In the same manner or way that: Think as I think.
- At the same time that; while: slipped on the ice as I ran home.
- For the reason that; because: went to bed early, as I was exhausted.
- With the result that: He was so foolish as to lie.
- Though: Great as the author was, he proved a bad model. Ridiculous as it seems, the tale is true.
- In accordance with which or with the way in which: The hotel is quite comfortable as such establishments go. The sun is hot, as everyone knows.
- Informal That: I don't know as I can answer your question.
pron.- That; which; who. Used after same or such: I received the same grade as you did.
- Chiefly Upper Southern U.S. Who, whom, which, or that: Those as want to can come with me.
preposition- In the role, capacity, or function of: acting as a mediator.
- In a manner similar to; the same as: On this issue they thought as one.
Usage Note: A traditional usage rule draws a distinction between comparisons using
as . . . as and comparisons using
so . . . as. The rule states the
so . . . as construction is required in negative sentences (as in Shakespeare's
“'tis not so deep as a well”), in questions (as in
Is it so bad as she says?), and in certain
if- clauses (as in
If it is so bad as you say, you ought to leave). But this
so . . . as construction is becoming increasingly rare in American English, and the use of
as . . . as is now entirely acceptable in all contexts. • In a comparison involving both
as . . . as and
than, the second
as should be retained in written style. One writes
He is as smart as, or smarter than, his brother, not
He is as smart or smarter than his brother, which is considered unacceptable in formal style. • In many dialects, people use
as in place of
that in sentences like
We are not sure as we want to go or
It's not certain as he left. This construction is not sufficiently well established to be used in writing. •
As should be preceded by a comma when it expresses a causal relation, as in
She won't be coming, as we didn't invite her. When
as expresses a time relation, it is not preceded by a comma:
She was finishing the painting as I walked into the room. When beginning a sentence with a clause that starts with
as, one should take care that it is clear whether
as is used to mean “because” or “at the same time that.” The sentence
As they were leaving, I walked to the door may mean either “I walked to the door because they were leaving” or “I walked to the door at the same time that they were leaving.” •
As is sometimes used superfluously to introduce the complements of verbs like
consider, deem, and
account, as in
They considered it as one of the landmark decisions of the civil rights movement. The measure was deemed as unnecessary. This usage may have arisen by analogy to
regard and
esteem, with which
as is standardly used in this way:
We regarded her as the best writer among us. But the use of
as with verbs like
consider is not sufficiently well established to be acceptable in writing. See Usage Notes at
because,
equal,
like2,
so1,
than.
Regional Note: American dialects often vary from Standard English in the form and usage of relative pronouns. Where Standard English has three relative pronouns—
who, which, and
that—regional dialects, particularly those of the South and Midlands, allow
as and
what as relative pronouns:
“Them as thinks they can whup me jest come ahead” (Publication of the American Dialect Society).
The car what hit him never stopped.