similarly

American  

[sim-uh-ler-lee] / ˈsɪm ə lər li /

adverb

1. in a way that shows a general but not exact resemblance.

   The lab charges anywhere from $50 to $100 per blood test; other procedures are priced similarly.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonsimilarly
  adverb
• quasi-similarly
  adverb
• unsimilarly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of similarly

similar ( def. ) + -ly

Compare meaning

How does similarly compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• similar vs. similarly

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

The Texas senator similarly held a private meeting with Blanche, a conversation he described simply as “positive,” without elaborating which direction he’s leaning on Blanche’s confirmation.

From Slate • Jul. 9, 2026

But she’s also examining the precarious economic plight of artists similarly pursuing their own alternative paths in the American theater.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

The researchers wanted to determine whether the particles inside the crystal behave in a similarly coordinated way.

From Science Daily • Jul. 8, 2026

As locals questioned this growth, a city-commissioned Urban Land Institute study found the church was behaving similarly to most large institutional urban landowners, such as universities or hospitals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026

Preserved Maya writing was similarly devoted to propaganda, births and accessions and victories of kings, and astronomical observations of priests.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond