similarly
Americanadverb
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Etymology
Origin of similarly
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How does similarly compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When you do something similarly, you do it nearly the same way as someone else. At a school bake sale, you might decide to price your brownies similarly to your friend's Rice Krispie treats. Use the adverb similarly to describe something that's done in a way that mirrors or almost duplicates something else. If one little boy dresses up in a red cape at preschool, his best friend might costume himself similarly, in a red scarf and crown. When your neighbor tells you about her vacation in Hawaii, you might be inspired to travel similarly. The word comes from the adjective similar, which means "resembling," and has a Latin root, similis, "like."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The stadium businesses did not similarly list their opposition to the parking and event tax initiatives.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
The fact the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial oil shipping route, remains effectively closed, and the path to AI profitably remains similarly hard to traverse, seem like subjects for another day.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
The other three also exhibit stable orbits, similarly suggesting that any planet nine would have to be very far away indeed.
From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026
Analysts at Citi led by Geoff Meacham were similarly impressed with the low-dose version.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
Pizarro had similarly grim luck when he landed on the coast of Peru in 1531 with 168 men to conquer the Inca Empire of millions.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
