parallel 1 of 3

parallel

2 of 3

noun

parallel

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective parallel contrast with its synonyms?

The words analogous and similar are common synonyms of parallel. While all three words mean "closely resembling each other," parallel suggests a marked likeness in the development of two things.

the parallel careers of two movie stars

When can analogous be used instead of parallel?

In some situations, the words analogous and parallel are roughly equivalent. However, analogous applies to things belonging in essentially different categories but nevertheless having many similarities.

analogous political systems

When would similar be a good substitute for parallel?

While the synonyms similar and parallel are close in meaning, similar implies the possibility of being mistaken for each other.

all the houses in the development are similar

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 parallel
Adjective
The officers used a search pattern in which boats snaked back and forth, moving outward from the shoreline, in increasingly long lines parallel to it, Renner said. Ethan Wolin updated July 4, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2025 For that reason, Napoleon penetrated enemy territory along parallel roads. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Noun
Christian Petersen/Getty Images The parallel is undeniable. Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025 In 2006, the company introduced CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) as a proprietary parallel computing platform and application programming interface. Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Verb
Crow-Armstrong’s actions parallel a difficult stretch for the Cubs. Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025 The season parallels the university’s academic year, starting in September and ending in May. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for parallel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parallel
Adjective
  • This doesn’t come without challenges, especially with junior staff who haven’t weathered similar storms before.
    Philip A. Nardone, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Sykes described the signs of bird flu in cats as a severe and rapidly progressive disease that can look similar to rabies.
    Elizabeth B. Kim, The Enquirer, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • Martian meteorites have been identified through similarities between the composition of gases trapped in the meteorites with measurements of the martian atmosphere by spacecraft.
    Ben Rider-Stokes, JSTOR Daily, 17 July 2025
  • Yet the similarities between his last two press conferences continues to be apparent to anyone who attended both.
    Tony East, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Verb
  • While State Farm cites climate trends and home replacement costs going up, Scarr says only clear oversight will ensure the numbers match reality.
    Catrina Barker, The Washington Examiner, 13 July 2025
  • No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems matches both When the Sun Goes Down and his Greatest Hits compilation.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • Rounding off the league’s national TV offerings is TBS, which is averaging 358,000 viewers per outing with its non-exclusive Tuesday night telecasts, good for a 17% lift compared to the analogous period in 2024.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 14 July 2025
  • The judge found that California did not present evidence of any historically analogous laws, finding that the laws the state did cite were not similar enough.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • Great for everything from a day at the pool to a trip abroad, per shopper reviews, this spacious carryall immediately caught our attention for bearing a striking resemblance to the tote Meghan Markle used to showcase a colorful garden haul, thanks to its woven texture and faux leather handle.
    Averi Baudler, People.com, 9 July 2025
  • But polls show a growing consensus among Americans that women's sports should be for women, and that Title IX has been stretched out of all resemblance to its original intent.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • For Hacks, Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs didn't receive any nods, though some of their counterparts like Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder did.
    Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 15 July 2025
  • That’s no longer the case, thanks to innovations like Nova, which deliver impressive results that rival those of their less sustainable counterparts.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • In a recent note on quantum computing, analysts at Bank of America had to reach way back—way, way back—for a comparable advancement in human history.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 19 July 2025
  • Burberry’s overall group revenues declined 1% year-on-year on a comparable basis to £433 million ($ 582million) in the June quarter, compared with the 3% decline analysts had forecast in a company compiled consensus.
    Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 18 July 2025
Noun
  • Precise Location and Motion Data: GPS coordinates and motion data reveal the speed of the vehicle as recorded by the phone, and can be used as evidence as to which lane a truck was traveling in.
    Lars Daniel, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Advertisement Gabby’s parents got her a phone in seventh grade to help the family coordinate pickups from multiple different sports practices.
    Charlotte Alter, Time, 18 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Parallel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parallel. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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