Definition of similarnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective similar contrast with its synonyms?

The words analogous and parallel are common synonyms of similar. While all three words mean "closely resembling each other," similar implies the possibility of being mistaken for each other.

all the houses in the development are similar

When can analogous be used instead of similar?

The synonyms analogous and similar are sometimes interchangeable, but analogous applies to things belonging in essentially different categories but nevertheless having many similarities.

analogous political systems

In what contexts can parallel take the place of similar?

While the synonyms parallel and similar are close in meaning, parallel suggests a marked likeness in the development of two things.

the parallel careers of two movie stars

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 similar Elizabeth Richmond, general counsel at Eileen Fisher, sees a similar dynamic at her company. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026 Extraordinarily hot temperatures above 100 degrees roasted the region down through San Diego which hit a record 105 degrees, with many other spots setting new records for similar highs. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026 These privileged few will be sitting on a time bomb of their own making, similar to that faced by political and economic elites during the waning years of the Ming dynasty. — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026 The manner of the misinformation is in other ways uncannily similar to Davidson’s. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for similar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for similar
Adjective
  • Tickets cost less than $1, while comparable performances elsewhere can cost as much as $300.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • According to Abramson, the pulses are basically imperceptible, comparable to what a pacemaker sends to the heart.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • But the less strictly technical procedure Serra describes is analogous to operations at stake in Jonas’s own work, implying that the act of measurement by walking and seeing is tacitly existential.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The senator said the Food and Drug Administration's model of pharmaceutical regulation is analogous to the AI debate.
    — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • America's most affluent suburbs are more alike than different.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • According to author Caroline Hallemann—whose book The Kennedys and the Windsors came out on June 2—the two women were even more alike than meets the eye.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 9 June 2026
Adjective
  • The public allegations offered The Star and readers a unique opportunity to learn more about the often undisclosed abuse and inappropriate workplace behavior that bar employees face and question what accountability looks like in such cases.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Normally, such coordination is the nervous system’s job, carried out by little electrical signals traveling along nerves.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Similar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/similar. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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