1
as in metaphor
a way of describing or explaining one thing by means of describing another with which it shares certain points or qualities
The teacher used the analogy of a common pipeline to explain bandwidth on the Internet.
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2
as in equivalent
resemblance in certain points or qualities between two or more otherwise unlike things
The study made note of analogies between human and ape social behavior.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of analogy
The best analogy to direct democracy in contemporary life is jury duty, which generally seems to go better than anyone expects.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Related Stories Jon Stewart then extended the analogy.
—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
10 June 2026
The analogy appears to reference the leverage the 49ers hold over Aiyuk.
—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
That’s a cheap and easy analogy, but that’s what interested me to want to make this show.
—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for analogy
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Related Stories Jon Stewart then extended the analogy.
—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
10 June 2026
The analogy appears to reference the leverage the 49ers hold over Aiyuk.
—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
That’s a cheap and easy analogy, but that’s what interested me to want to make this show.
—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for analogy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for analogy
Noun
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The creature has become a metaphor in the AI world, symbolizing the uncertainty around how AI models work under the hood.
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Drawing on an astonishing wealth of references to the metaphor of two ships by figures from the early colonial era through the Civil War, Reynolds lops off the Quakers and the Scotch-Irish in favor of the groups that came first and seemed most antithetically opposed—Puritan and Cavalier.
Noun
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But for foods that are more crumbly and less stain-y, Miss Manners finds leather (or a stain-resistant slippery equivalent) a helpful material for getting things to slide right to the floor.
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With a footprint equivalent to the largest pyramids of ancient Egypt, Cahokia’s colossal Monks Mound is the largest pre-Columbian structure north of central Mexico.
Noun
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That’s not to say that there aren’t some similarities between the Gotham City gangster in The Penguin and Los Angeles private investigator of Sugar.
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But the similarity is superficial.
Noun
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Until the middle of the 20th century, factices were often crafted by luxury glassmakers including Baccarat and Lalique to be exact replicas of their regular-sized counterparts, filled with colored water or alcohol to mimic the look of actual perfume.
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Tough loner Daryl, who has no counterpart in the Walking Dead comic books, arguably became the original’s show biggest breakout character before getting his own story.
Cite this Entry
“Analogy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/analogy. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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