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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The committee will hold public hearings to learn what caused the collapse and how similar accidents can be avoided in the future.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Growing to a similar height is the mimosa or silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), another leguminous species.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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These are not real feelings, Anthropic’s researchers emphasized, but patterns in the model’s neural activations that guide its responses, shaping decisions, preferences, and outputs in ways loosely analogous to human emotions.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
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Compared to last year, arrests were down 14% citywide over an analogous 30-day spring break period, according to Miami Beach police.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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And, no doubt, women in the original 1920s audience presumably had comparable lustful desires as the pair on stage; this was hardly the only Coward comedy of its era to be used for foreplay.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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And, no doubt, women in the original 1920s audience presumably had comparable lustful desires as the pair on stage.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 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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Reiten has been recognized by publications such as The Guardian as being among the top 100 players in the world, qualifying her as a High Impact Player.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Stay away from water and plumbing fixtures, such as sinks, bathtubs, and faucets during a thunderstorm.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cognate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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