One-And-The-Same-One-In-The-Same | Commonly Confused Words
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One and the same vs. One in the same

One and the same

/wʌn ənd ðə seɪm/
Used to emphasize that two things are exactly the same or identical

Examples:

The two perspectives are one and the same in essence.Her pen name and real name were one and the same.The rules for all teams were one and the same.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

One in the same

/ˌwʌn ɪn ðə ˈseɪm/
A phrase used to emphasize that two things or persons are identical or very similar.

Examples:

People often think love and money are one in the same.Improving oneself and growing wiser are one in the same.She realized that her goals and dreams were one in the same.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • One and the same is the correct and original phrase, meaning the same person or thing considered from two different perspectives.
  • One in the same is a common mishearing or misinterpretation of one and the same.
  • A way to remember is that and is used to connect two things that are identical (one and the same), emphasizing they are not just similar but literally the same.
  • Think of and the same as two distinct things being declared as equal or wholly identical.
  • In suggests something being inside something else, which does not fit the intended meaning of the phrase.
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