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Synonyms

similarity

American  
[sim-uh-lar-i-tee] / ˌsɪm əˈlær ɪ ti /

noun

  • similarities
    plural
  1. the state of being similar; likeness; resemblance.

    Synonyms:
    parallelism, correspondence, similitude
    Antonyms:
    difference
  2. an aspect, trait, or feature like or resembling another or another's.

    a similarity of diction.


Synonym Usage

See resemblance.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of similarity

First recorded in 1655–65; similar + -ity

Explanation

You might get annoyed if people keep saying there is a similarity between you and your older sister, particularly if you're tired of being compared to her. A similarity is a sameness or alikeness. When you are comparing two things — physical objects, ideas, or experiences — you often look at their similarities and their differences. Difference is the opposite of similarity. Both squares and rectangles have four sides, that is a similarity between them. Just because two things share similarities doesn't mean they are the same.

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Vocabulary lists containing similarity

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.

See Examples For:

But there is one similarity between the two episodes that could be more apt: The timing of each blowup within the context of the respective bull markets in which they occurred.

From MarketWatch Jul. 31, 2026

By calculating similarity matrices for these elements across chromosomes and examining how they cluster at different similarity thresholds, the researchers generated what they call a "serial similarity matrix."

From Science Daily Jun. 19, 2026

While the defendants were charged over separate incidents, they were sentenced together on Wednesday at Canterbury Crown Court due to the similarity of their offences.

From BBC Jun. 10, 2026

They share a facial similarity that in certain closeups seems purposely accentuated.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 9, 2026

He was one of those struck by the similarity in shape between the facing coastlines of Africa and South America, and from this observation he developed the idea that the continents had once slid around.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

That is about where the similarities end, though.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 11, 2026

The similarities observed in the meditation study do not mean that meditation and psychedelic drugs produce identical effects.

From Science Daily Aug. 9, 2026

No surprise that father and son discussed the similarities.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 23, 2026

And for what it’s worth, there are similarities in the initial responses to both films.

From Salon Jul. 22, 2026

Her mother, for all their similarities, had possessed a majesty she didn’t, and a cruelty, too.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

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