parallel 1 of 3

parallel

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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
Other nice features include a handle that drops parallel with the floor to clean under furniture and a sponge mode that uses suction to help dry the floor after mopping. Editors Of Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025 Instead, swim parallel to the shore and away from the rip current's grip. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
While Joanne's family isn't an exact match of Foster's there are parallels. Maggie Kreienberg, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025 Amid the paranoia of the Cold War, the eight-episode season (critics received five for review) has many eerie elements, including its parallels to the present day. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
For about 24 hours after the stand was spotted, investigators closed all lanes of Southern Boulevard, which parallels the southern border of the airport. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025 The city of San Diego for years has paralleled the state’s approach on housing, allowing more density, streamlining development regulations and pushing high-rise projects near transit lines. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for parallel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parallel
Adjective
  • While its initial focus was cross-border payments, Zhang said the company’s revenue is now spread over an array of products, with business accounts similar to Mercury comprising 34% of its revenue, spend management 20%, and payments 30%.
    Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Though the Maldives is the first country to enact such a ban, similar proposals have been debated – and nearly imposed – in other parts of the world.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Advertisement Instead, Takaichi’s strengths, Nagy says, would be playing against Ishiba’s weaknesses and highlighting her own similarities to Trump.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
  • McCullough also noted the similarities between his and his father's football careers.
    Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The plug-in hybrid now offers an electric-only range of about 80 miles, while overall efficiency improves to the equivalent of 84 miles per gallon once the battery is depleted.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Most pilot programs limit stablecoin holdings to no more than 5% of total cash equivalents.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Inputs are applied as horizontal or vertical displacements at the sheet’s edges, and outputs appear as movements at other edges, matching the result of a matrix applied to the input vector.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Season 4 will consist of eight episodes, matching the number in the third installment.
    Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • That case established a new Second Amendment test, holding that modern-day regulations regarding gun rights must have an analogous historical regulation.
    Solcyré Burga, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
  • As fiction films do something analogous to what is done in prose forms like the novel and the short story, so nonfiction films can have a broad choice of nonfiction literary models.
    Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Joyce's nebula scene captures the expanding shell of the supernova remnant CTB 1, also known as both the Garlic Nebula and the Medulla Nebula for its resemblance to both the bulbous plant and the human brain.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Rob even shared a photo of Dream wearing one of his childhood shirts in 2021, and the resemblance was uncanny.
    Emy LaCroix, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Novelists—those modern counterparts to the epic poets—have something to teach all those constituencies.
    Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Such an ambitious agenda assumes a counterpart who is either inclined or compelled to cooperate.
    Neil Thomas, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Certain closet staples are well worth investing in, but finding comparable styles at a more affordable price point can make building a solid seasonal wardrobe more realistic.
    Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a measure to fund NASA at a level comparable to fiscal year 2025, and there is bipartisan support for maintaining the space agency's science programs.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Parallel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parallel. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

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