ANALOGY Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

analogy

noun

Definition of analogy

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.

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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.

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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 Astronomers are finding that in between the brightest stars, the 'tallest skyscrapers' in the above analogy, there are much fainter stars analogous to smaller buildings. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Aug. 2026 As an analogy, take the image of Greenland on a map centered at the North Pole and compare it with the image of the island on a Mercator projection. — Aaron Shattuck, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026 Even that simple sentence in this episode from Oleksandra explaining the bear, tiger, wolf pack analogy is truly fascinating. — David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026 When the wind blows, ripples form in the grass field, which, in this analogy, would represent changes in magnetic texture. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for analogy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for analogy

Noun

Conversations with chimpanzees and gorillas aren’t exactly rich in metaphor and critical analysis.

— Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Only Ann Patchett could write such a pleasant, amiable novel about death, and only a horse could serve as her essential metaphor for peaceful salvation.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of metaphor

Noun

Diskin, Easo, Radhakrishnan, Sudakov, and Tassion were trying to work out something fundamental about how graphs — networks of points connected by lines, or edges — can be taken over by large connected areas, the equivalent of pools of fluid.

— Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
California Cruise is close to the European equivalent of the Tourer 4Motion camper van Volkswagen already announced for the US market.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of equivalent

Noun

In a clip from the upcoming season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Paul discusses with her castmates what happened at the Bachelor mansion and the similarities between the winner and her ex, Dakota Mortensen.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
There should be some similarities between how Seattle and the Chargers run their defenses.

— Andrew Destin, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of similarity

Noun

And, unlike most of its democratic counterparts, the United States has never had a female head of state.

— Gloria Steinem, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
According to this rule, the body color of animals is darker in hot and humid climates than that of their counterparts in colder climates.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of counterpart

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analogues

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analphabetic

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“Analogy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/analogy. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of analogy

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