diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/dataset/test_util.h b/cpp/src/arrow/dataset/test_util.h
index 5128021bf65..3f826fa09c9 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/dataset/test_util.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/dataset/test_util.h
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ class FileFormatScanMixin : public FileFormatFixtureMixin<FormatHelper>,
       row_count += batch->num_rows();
       ASSERT_THAT(
           batch->schema()->fields(),
-          ::testing::UnorderedPointwise(PointeesEquals(), expected_schema->fields()))
+          ::testing::UnorderedPointwise(PointeesEqual(), expected_schema->fields()))
           << "EXPECTED:\n"
           << expected_schema->ToString() << "\nACTUAL:\n"
           << batch->schema()->ToString();
@@ -690,7 +690,7 @@ class FileFormatScanMixin : public FileFormatFixtureMixin<FormatHelper>,
         row_count += batch->num_rows();
         ASSERT_THAT(
             batch->schema()->fields(),
-            ::testing::UnorderedPointwise(PointeesEquals(), physical_schema->fields()))
+            ::testing::UnorderedPointwise(PointeesEqual(), physical_schema->fields()))
             << "EXPECTED:\n"
             << physical_schema->ToString() << "\nACTUAL:\n"
             << batch->schema()->ToString();
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ class FileFormatScanMixin : public FileFormatFixtureMixin<FormatHelper>,
         row_count += batch->num_rows();
         ASSERT_THAT(
             batch->schema()->fields(),
-            ::testing::UnorderedPointwise(PointeesEquals(), physical_schema->fields()))
+            ::testing::UnorderedPointwise(PointeesEqual(), physical_schema->fields()))
             << "EXPECTED:\n"
             << physical_schema->ToString() << "\nACTUAL:\n"
             << batch->schema()->ToString();
@@ -787,7 +787,7 @@ class FileFormatScanMixin : public FileFormatFixtureMixin<FormatHelper>,
         row_count += batch->num_rows();
         ASSERT_THAT(
             batch->schema()->fields(),
-            ::testing::UnorderedPointwise(PointeesEquals(), expected_schema->fields()))
+            ::testing::UnorderedPointwise(PointeesEqual(), expected_schema->fields()))
             << "EXPECTED:\n"
             << expected_schema->ToString() << "\nACTUAL:\n"
             << batch->schema()->ToString();
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/testing/matchers.h b/cpp/src/arrow/testing/matchers.h
index 1ffc2e1d9fa..ddfe60f1740 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/testing/matchers.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/testing/matchers.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <utility>
+
 #include <gmock/gmock-matchers.h>
 
 #include "arrow/datum.h"
@@ -28,9 +30,36 @@
 
 namespace arrow {
 
+class PointeesEqualMatcher {
+ public:
+  template <typename PtrPair>
+  operator testing::Matcher<PtrPair>() const {  // NOLINT runtime/explicit
+    struct Impl : testing::MatcherInterface<const PtrPair&> {
+      void DescribeTo(::std::ostream* os) const override { *os << "pointees are equal"; }
+
+      void DescribeNegationTo(::std::ostream* os) const override {
+        *os << "pointees are not equal";
+      }
+
+      bool MatchAndExplain(const PtrPair& pair,
+                           testing::MatchResultListener* listener) const override {
+        const auto& first = *std::get<0>(pair);
+        const auto& second = *std::get<1>(pair);
+        const bool match = first.Equals(second);
+        *listener << "whose pointees " << testing::PrintToString(first) << " and "
+                  << testing::PrintToString(second)
+                  << (match ? " are equal" : " are not equal");
+        return match;
+      }
+    };
+
+    return testing::Matcher<PtrPair>(new Impl());
+  }
+};
+
 // A matcher that checks that the values pointed to are Equals().
 // Useful in conjunction with other googletest matchers.
-MATCHER(PointeesEquals, "") { return std::get<0>(arg)->Equals(*std::get<1>(arg)); }
+inline PointeesEqualMatcher PointeesEqual() { return {}; }
 
 template <typename ResultMatcher>
 class FutureMatcher {