as in similar
having qualities in common
alcoholism and drug addiction are cognate disorders
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Recent Examples of cognate
The aspiring actress Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) is cognate with the earlier film’s domineering, petulant, and voice-challenged silent-film diva Lina Lamont (who, in effect, gets a backstory here).
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2022
Remembering in daylight this sensation of awaking from a dreamworld to reality seemed cognate to the experience on the highway: the feeling of being ensorcelled and then awaking from it.
—John Crowley, Harper's Magazine, 8 Dec. 2021
Hence his own always dubious business celebrity became cognate with the mantra of Making America Great Again.
—Kyle Edward Williams, The New Republic, 9 Dec. 2020
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2022
Remembering in daylight this sensation of awaking from a dreamworld to reality seemed cognate to the experience on the highway: the feeling of being ensorcelled and then awaking from it.
—John Crowley, Harper's Magazine, 8 Dec. 2021
Hence his own always dubious business celebrity became cognate with the mantra of Making America Great Again.
—Kyle Edward Williams, The New Republic, 9 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cognate
Adjective
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In response to Amber's heart-wrenching case, a Texas mom named Diana Simone had the idea to create an emergency system for abducted children, similar to a weather or civil defense alert.—
Emily Krauser,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
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Yet many divorces follow a similar trajectory, and most of the feelings women experience during that process are universal.—
Oona Metz,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The story positions the protagonist’s work as analogous to nurturing a child.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
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The international sphere faces analogous pressures.—
Klaus Schwab,
Time,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Unlike 1979, when much of the clergy united behind Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini against the Shah, today’s clerical establishment has no comparable unanimity.—
Narges Bajoghli,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
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By brand, comparable sales for the eight weeks versus the same year-ago quarter saw its Journeys Group gain 12 percent.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Humans and wildlife alike feast on the fruit, with a taste between a banana and a pineapple and a custard-like texture.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
28 Aug. 2025
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One of my pieces was authenticated through eBay, and the leather, stitching, canvas, and quality are alike.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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An ancient author named Diodorus Siculus, who wrote in the first century BCE, provides a story of how the Phoenicians came to acquire such great wealth through exploitation of less technologically advanced cultures.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
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Ordinarily, such crew-rotation flights last about six months, ending a few days after their successors arrive at the ISS.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cognate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognate. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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