ANALOGOUS Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

analogous

adjective

ə-ˈna-lə-gəs

Definition of analogous

as in similar

having qualities in common bad-mouthing your sister is analogous to slapping her in the face—it's just as bad

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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 In some ways, shorebirds are analogous to the wolves that hunt the deer and elk populations that eat the tree saplings that become the trees that beavers use to build dams that help the fish—and so on. — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for analogous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for analogous

Adjective

But his planning doesn’t mean that the tax would survive the courts, and in any case, not every billionaire will necessarily make similar arrangements.

— Ramesh Ponnuru, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Garshick told Prevention that stacking actives carries similar risks.

— Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of similar

Adjective

The ads did run at lower rates than comparable spots paid for by Too Extreme for Idaho, according to Federal Communications Commission filings examined by the Statesman.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 27 Oct. 2026
Coke expects comparable earnings per share to grow at least 11%, up from its prior forecast of an increase in the range of 9% to 10%.

— Sarah Min, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of comparable

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

Definition of alike

Adjective

This technology would not exist without the development of quantum mechanics over a century ago and many discoveries about fundamental ideas, such atoms and electrons.

— Mattanjah de Vries, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Meanwhile, there will be heavy pressure on Eisenkot to reach a deal with the Arab parties, while Netanyahu and his allies are likely to cast any such alliance as illegitimate and even treasonous.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of such

Browse Nearby Words

analogizing

analogous

analogousness

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“Analogous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/analogous. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of analogous

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