as in similar
having qualities in common
alcoholism and drug addiction are cognate disorders
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Example Sentences
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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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Residents describe the smell as a harsh chemical paint smell, similar to the smell in a nail salon.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
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The city checks for duplicate names, similar-sounding names, spelling conflicts, and anything that could slow down or confuse an emergency response.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The situation is roughly analogous to tracking the credit card payments used to pay for a car’s fuel.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
12 Mar. 2026
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Cincinnati is suing quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who started for the Bearcats in 2024 and 2025 and recently transferred to Texas Tech, in an analogous case.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Fat burning is likely comparable between intermittent fasting and the keto diet, but intermittent fasting may be more sustainable in the long term.—
Amy Brownstein,
Verywell Health,
16 Mar. 2026
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Chalamet previously won the comparable category at the Golden Globes, but Jordan's Actor Awards win signaled a potential repeat victory at the Oscars.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Accommodations On Mustique, no two villas are alike.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
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The rooms In the Agassiz mansion, no two rooms are alike.—
Todd Plummer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Themes of self-sacrifice dance around the script, but for a film that deals with such dark ideas as isolation and death in space, the film undermines its own pathos at every opportunity.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
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While such capabilities offer much promise, experts have also flagged potential security and privacy issues with granting AI agents, such as those from OpenClaw, access to local devices.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cognate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognate. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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