analogy

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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Synonym Chooser

How is the word analogy distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of analogy are likeness, resemblance, similarity, and similitude. While all these words mean "agreement or correspondence in details," analogy implies likeness or parallelism in relations rather than in appearance or qualities.

pointed out analogies to past wars

How do likeness and similarity relate to one another, in the sense of analogy?

Likeness implies a closer correspondence than similarity which often implies that things are merely somewhat alike.

a remarkable likeness to his late father
some similarity between the two cases

When might resemblance be a better fit than analogy?

In some situations, the words resemblance and analogy are roughly equivalent. However, resemblance implies similarity chiefly in appearance or external qualities.

statements that bear little resemblance to the truth

When is similitude a more appropriate choice than analogy?

While in some cases nearly identical to analogy, similitude applies chiefly to correspondence between abstractions.

two schools of social thought showing points of similitude

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 analogy Among the many charismatic analogies for Rubin, my current favorite imagines the observatory as the largest, most elaborate movie camera shooting a cosmic film that will take 10 years to complete. Michael Jones McKean, The Atlantic, 23 June 2025 Both also had terrorism subplots and included an analogy between the justice system and refereeing in basketball. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 19 June 2025 The analogy was not lost on the musicians themselves. Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025 So, now to come back to this analogy, in us our soma are different from our germline, right? Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for analogy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for analogy
Noun
  • But waste should be surgically addressed, extending the metaphor, with a scalpel, not a chainsaw.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025
  • Formation flying is really a terrestrial metaphor to cover a painfully complex exercise in celestial mechanics.
    David Szondy June 28, New Atlas, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • In some cases, the similarities between the Ivy League and prestigious secondary schools are not coincidental, but the result of deep historical ties.
    Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Quilts are also filled, but here the similarities end.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • This means that some particles will decay in the normal world while their counterparts in the mirror would not.
    Zack Savitsky, Wired News, 22 June 2025
  • Liverpool have been in regular dialogue with their German counterparts this summer having signed Florian Wirtz, who officially joined the Premier League champions on Friday, and after triggering the release clause of full-back Jeremie Frimpong, whose arrival was announced last month.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 22 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Analogy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/analogy. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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