analogy

noun

Definition of analogynext
1
as in metaphor
a way of describing or explaining one thing by means of describing another with which it shares certain points or qualities The teacher used the analogy of a common pipeline to explain bandwidth on the Internet.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in equivalent
resemblance in certain points or qualities between two or more otherwise unlike things The study made note of analogies between human and ape social behavior.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word analogy distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of analogy are likeness, resemblance, similarity, and similitude. While all these words mean "agreement or correspondence in details," analogy implies likeness or parallelism in relations rather than in appearance or qualities.

pointed out analogies to past wars

How do likeness and similarity relate to one another, in the sense of analogy?

Likeness implies a closer correspondence than similarity which often implies that things are merely somewhat alike.

a remarkable likeness to his late father
some similarity between the two cases

When might resemblance be a better fit than analogy?

In some situations, the words resemblance and analogy are roughly equivalent. However, resemblance implies similarity chiefly in appearance or external qualities.

statements that bear little resemblance to the truth

When is similitude a more appropriate choice than analogy?

While in some cases nearly identical to analogy, similitude applies chiefly to correspondence between abstractions.

two schools of social thought showing points of similitude

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 analogy Moore designed his pinball machine to complete the analogy to the Turing machine. —Charlie Wood, Wired News, 6 Apr. 2025 In 2025, there is no single issue like slavery dividing America, and that makes the demise of Britain's Liberal Party a better analogy for today's Democrats. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025 When there’s no pathogen present, the two kinases are bound together — thus the handcuffs analogy. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 Peter Friedlander cannot help but identify analogies that connect his professional life in the entertainment industry to creating a home for himself in Hollywood. —Jessica Ritz, Architectural Digest, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for analogy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for analogy
  1. metaphor
  2. similarity
  3. counterpart
Noun
  • The parts that do resonate feel like physical metaphors ripped out of real life.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2025
  • In some ways, this is a good metaphor for the experience of Ramsey, of whom their co-star speaks with particular admiration.
    — Fernanda Pérez Sánchez, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of metaphor
Noun
  • Despite surface similarities, there was no official connection between the two shows.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The plan bears similarities to the U.K.’s AI Action Plan announced earlier this year.
    — Ryan Browne, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of similarity
Noun
  • Slot shares this staple of Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou’s attacking principles, with Porro adept at tucking inside to disrupt the opposition shape.
    — Andy Jones, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Social media platforms, podcasts, and Clubhouse discussions have become intellectual hubs where people engage with the works of Hannah Arendt, Michel Foucault, Yuval Harari, and Slavoj Žižek and often with more intensity than their counterparts elsewhere.
    — Rebecca Ruth Gould, JSTOR Daily, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of counterpart

Browse Nearby Words

analogues
analogy
analphabetic
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Cite this Entry

“Analogy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/analogy. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on analogy

Nglish: Translation of analogy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about analogy

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