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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Similar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/similar. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster