similar

adjective

sim·​i·​lar ˈsi-mə-lər How to pronounce similar (audio)
ˈsim-lər
Synonyms of similar
1
: having characteristics in common : strictly comparable
2
: alike in substance or essentials : corresponding
No two animal habitats are exactly similar …—W. H. Dowdeswell
3
: not differing in shape but only in size or position
similar triangles
similar polygons
similarly adverb

Synonyms of similar

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similar, analogous, parallel mean closely resembling each other.

similar implies the possibility of being mistaken for each other.

all the houses in the development are similar

analogous applies to things belonging in essentially different categories but nevertheless having many similarities.

analogous political systems

parallel suggests a marked likeness in the development of two things.

the parallel careers of two movie stars

Examples of similar in a Sentence

This month, General Electric's health-care division will begin marketing a first-of-its-kind electrocardiograph machine in the U.S. Although packed with the latest technology, the battery-powered device weighs just six pounds, half as much as the smallest ECG machine currently for sale. It will retail for a mere $2,500, an 80% markdown from products with similar capabilities. —Reena Jana, Business Week, 23 & 30 Mar. 2009
There's a reason boards of directors can pluck so many CEOs out of one company and plop them into another: When it comes to management ideas and tools, many companies are surprisingly similar. They have the same hierarchies and budgeting processes. —Jena McGregor, Business Week, 8 Oct. 2007
Though the trends were similar, the new patterns of consumption varied both regionally and nationally, as they continue to do today. —John Brewer, New York Review of Books, 30 Nov. 2006
Our cats are similar in size. You two look very similar to each other. They had similar experiences growing up, even though they came from vastly different backgrounds. We got remarkably similar results. I was going to say something similar. I would have reacted in a similar way if it had happened to me.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Gastélum posted similar content on his Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts, which together had more than 1 million followers. — Rey Rodríguez, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026 The resort itself attracts a similar crowd of New Yorkers and New Englanders looking for a weekend getaway where there’s something for everyone—fantastic food, outdoor activities, and an unforgettable spa. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026 Schmidhuber described artificial curiosity as similar to how children learn. — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026 This oxford shirt offers a similar relaxed, boxy fit to the aforementioned top. — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for similar

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "(of parts of the body) made up of one substance, homogeneous," borrowed from Medieval Latin similāris, from Latin similis "having characteristics in common, like" + -āris -ar; similis going back to dialectal Indo-European *sm̥h2-el-i- (whence also, with different stem formations, Old Irish amal, preposition, "like, as," samail "likeness, similarity," Middle Welsh hafal "like, similar," Greek homalόs "even, uniform, equal, like"), derivative of *semh2 "one, one and the same" — more at same entry 1

Note: Latin similis is presumably from *semilis, with e > i before a sonorant and a following i. Compare from the same stem simul "in company, together, at the same time" (semol in an early inscription), with i carried over from similis (see simultaneous); and semel "a single time, once" (see semelparous). — The Celtic outcomes show an internal change of *-ema- > *-ama- ("Joseph's Law"). The initial o in Greek homalόs, for expected *a, has probably been carried over from homόs "shared among all, common, same," homoîos "like, similar" (see homo- homeo-), — A different analysis of similis and like words has been proposed by G.E. Dunkel (Lexikon der indogermanischen Partikeln und Pronominalstämme, Heidelberg, 2014, p. 726). Behind similis the author sees *sm̥-h2el-ó-, with *sm̥- as zero-grade of *som- "together, with, the same" and *h2el- taken to be the verbal base meaning "nourish, bring up" (see old entry 1)—hence the compound would have meant "of equal growth," whence "like, similar." Dunkel analyzes semel "a single time," differently, however, as *sem-le, with *sem- "one" and *le "over there, distant" (pp. 491, 673).

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of similar was in 1586

Rhymes for similar

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Browse Nearby Words

Simiidae
similar
similarity
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Cite this Entry

“Similar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/similar. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

similar

adjective
sim·​i·​lar ˈsim-(ə-)lər How to pronounce similar (audio)
1
: having qualities in common
2
: not differing in shape but only in size or position
similar triangles
similarly adverb

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Nglish: Translation of similar for Spanish Speakers

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