Definition of analogousnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective analogous contrast with its synonyms?

The words parallel and similar are common synonyms of analogous. While all three words mean "closely resembling each other," analogous applies to things belonging in essentially different categories but nevertheless having many similarities.

analogous political systems

When can parallel be used instead of analogous?

While the synonyms parallel and analogous are close in meaning, parallel suggests a marked likeness in the development of two things.

the parallel careers of two movie stars

When is it sensible to use similar instead of analogous?

The synonyms similar and analogous are sometimes interchangeable, but similar implies the possibility of being mistaken for each other.

all the houses in the development are similar

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of analogous In some ways, shorebirds are analogous to the wolves that hunt the deer and elk populations that eat the tree saplings that become the trees that beavers use to build dams that help the fish—and so on. — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 That suggests the possibility of traffic strategies targeting such neighborhoods, analogous to child safety efforts focused on schools and their surroundings. — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 This event is analogous to one geologists observed in 2021, known as the Chamoli disaster in India. — Thor Benson, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026 For Galvani, the frog was an electrical machine analogous to a Leyden jar. — IEEE Spectrum, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for analogous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for analogous
Adjective
  • Recent court cases have used similar arguments, framing social media to judges and jurors as defective products causing children harm.
    — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Then-first lady Jill Biden pursued similar efforts to jump-start women's health research, and Biden officials in November 2023 launched their own White House effort intended to coordinate a cross-government response to boost women's health.
    — Dan Diamond, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The physiological case for a brief dunk is, by her own account, comparable.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
  • According to Inception, Mercury 3 is more than 40 times larger than its first-generation model, Mercury 1, while maintaining comparable processing speeds.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • America's most affluent suburbs are more alike than different.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • According to author Caroline Hallemann—whose book The Kennedys and the Windsors came out on June 2—the two women were even more alike than meets the eye.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 9 June 2026
Adjective
  • But since making that promise in November 2025, as of this month, such dividends have yet to materialize.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The exponential growth of the global AI industry is adding fresh urgency to such challenges.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Analogous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/analogous. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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