Definition of analogousnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective analogous contrast with its synonyms?

The words parallel and similar are common synonyms of analogous. While all three words mean "closely resembling each other," analogous applies to things belonging in essentially different categories but nevertheless having many similarities.

analogous political systems

When can parallel be used instead of analogous?

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

the parallel careers of two movie stars

When is it sensible to use similar instead of analogous?

The synonyms similar and analogous are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 analogous That suggests the possibility of traffic strategies targeting such neighborhoods, analogous to child safety efforts focused on schools and their surroundings. — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 This event is analogous to one geologists observed in 2021, known as the Chamoli disaster in India. — Thor Benson, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026 For Galvani, the frog was an electrical machine analogous to a Leyden jar. — IEEE Spectrum, 31 Aug. 2026 Automakers run an analogous playbook using legacy nameplates. — Stuart N. Brotman, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for analogous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for analogous
Adjective
  • The bombers were moved abruptly in response to multiple streams of intelligence warnings, including a threat that the aircraft could be hit in a swarm drone attack similar to one Ukraine launched against Russia in June 2025.
    — Steve Hendrix, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Bellingham has followed a similar trajectory off the pitch, emerging as one of the sport’s most marketable young stars.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Thiessen said those events are not directly comparable to a new baseball stadium, which would host many more games regularly.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026
  • That’s harder to find in fashion these days, as the comparable speed of digital culture increases trend turnover and even algorithmic advertising struggles to keep up with what looking empirically cool means.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 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
  • Industry analysts note that abandoning the export ban reflects recognition that such restrictions could prove counterproductive.
    — , CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Health experts attribute such outbreaks to low vaccination rates.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Analogous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/analogous. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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