analogous

adjective

anal·​o·​gous ə-ˈna-lə-gəs How to pronounce analogous (audio)
: similar or comparable to something else either in general or in some specific detail
Timbre in music is analogous to color in painting.Aaron Copland
An airplane's joystick is somewhat analogous to the reins on a horse.
: similar in a way that invites comparison : showing an analogy or a likeness that permits one to draw an analogy
a town council and a government body that serves an analogous function
analogously adverb
analogousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for analogous

similar, analogous, parallel mean closely resembling each other.

similar implies the possibility of being mistaken for each other.

all the houses in the development are similar

analogous applies to things belonging in essentially different categories but nevertheless having many similarities.

analogous political systems

parallel suggests a marked likeness in the development of two things.

the parallel careers of two movie stars

Examples of analogous in a Sentence

… gluons, force particles analogous to the photons of electromagnetism. Andrew Watson, Science, 22 Jan. 1999
… great stretches of algae, analogous to terrestrial woodlands, in which kelp fills the role of trees. William K. Stevens, New York Times, 5 Jan. 1999
… not by means superior to, though analogous with, human reason … Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, 1859
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The war between Russia and Ukraine is not perfectly analogous to contingencies that the United States may face in the future, and not every lesson in Ukraine is applicable to U.S. military planning, but this war is nonetheless full of instructive technological innovations and breakthroughs. Jon Finer, Foreign Affairs, 7 July 2025 And the concho found fans across the world—especially among people who see its plight as analogous to their own, and who have latched on to it as a symbol of resilience. Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 2 July 2025 The Alcaraz-Skinner barn burner averaged 1.76 million viewers, up 8% versus 2024’s analogous Alcaraz-Alexander Zverev match on NBC (1.62 million). Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 June 2025 The most analogous member of the Dirty Pardon Hall of Shame is Clinton's waiver of fugitive financier Marc Rich. Christopher Hale, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for analogous

Word History

Etymology

Latin analogus "proportionate" (Medieval Latin, "conforming to analogy") + -ous; analogus borrowed from Greek análogos "proportionate, conformable," parasynthetic derivative from anà lógon "proportionately," from aná "up, throughout" + lógon, accusative of lógos "word, speech, relation, correspondence, proportion" — more at ana-, legend

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of analogous was in 1646

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Analogous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/analogous. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

analogous

adjective
anal·​o·​gous ə-ˈnal-ə-gəs How to pronounce analogous (audio)
1
: showing analogy : similar
the two stories are analogous
2
: related by analogy
analogously adverb
analogousness noun

Medical Definition

analogous

adjective
anal·​o·​gous ə-ˈnal-ə-gəs How to pronounce analogous (audio)
: having similar function but a different structure and origin
analogous organs

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