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.
And while Spain suffers from similarly high levels of youth and total unemployment, Spanish GDP per capita is around eight times that of Morocco's according to World Bank figures.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
If transportation is universally available without fares on campus, it may seem natural to ask why urban transportation doesn’t function similarly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
It works similarly to the projector but should provide a clearer image.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
The owner of the storied Washington Post owns a similarly storied estate in the nation’s capital, a compound that he is said to have dropped $23 million on in 2017.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
Penelope could have made a lesson out of it, for Shakespeare had described a similarly unhappy swap in his tragic play Hamlet.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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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.