parallel 1 of 3

parallel

2 of 3

noun

parallel

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective parallel contrast with its synonyms?

The words analogous and similar are common synonyms of parallel. While all three words mean "closely resembling each other," parallel suggests a marked likeness in the development of two things.

the parallel careers of two movie stars

When can analogous be used instead of parallel?

In some situations, the words analogous and parallel are roughly equivalent. However, analogous applies to things belonging in essentially different categories but nevertheless having many similarities.

analogous political systems

When would similar be a good substitute for parallel?

While the synonyms similar and parallel are close in meaning, similar implies the possibility of being mistaken for each other.

all the houses in the development are similar

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 parallel
Adjective
Rather than the hook being perpendicular to the stick bait like a wacky rig, the parallel hook presentation leads to much better hook sets and fewer lost fish during the fight. Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025 The Italian probe into X, first reported by Reuters, follows a parallel investigation by Italian authorities into Meta. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
Compared to far more common radial flux motors, axial flux motors essentially flip the magnetic field on its side, operating via magnetic flux that runs in parallel to the motor axis. New Atlas, 27 Feb. 2025 But the United States is still a young country, and a longer, more global view yields fascinating parallels to our moment that date back to antiquity. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
Private restaurants in residential buildings were popular during an earlier period that parallels the extraordinary wealth and inequality in New York City of today: the late 1800s and early 1900s, known as the Gilded Age. Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025 This means that extras like roller attachments aren’t always parallel with the counter, causing pasta sheets to roll out unevenly and snag easily. Jesse Raub, Bon Appétit, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for parallel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parallel
Adjective
  • The questionnaire appears to be very similar to one sent earlier this week to partners of the United States Agency for International Development, which has been all but dismantled by the Trump administration.
    Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025
  • In some ways, this feels similar to the initial boom and subsequent contraction of the sports betting and ancillary sports betting content industries, a trajectory that began with a 2018 Supreme Court ruling that struck down a federal law banning sports betting in most states.
    Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Maintain a bit of similarity by sticking to a singular color (or palette), finish, or material, then play with scale, shape, and thickness of the frame.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2025
  • The company’s brief never offers any reason to conclude that the Tax Court’s weighing of similarities against differences was clearly erroneous.
    Ryan Finley, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Stone paired the look with matching burgundy satin sandals from the brand and also wore Louis Vuitton High Jewelry pieces from the Deep Time collection.
    Raven Brunner, People.com, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Scarlett Johanssen In De Beers The awards presenter chose more than 80 carats of diamonds by De Beers London, including the Midnight Aura necklace and earrings, to accessorize her sapphire blue velvet Thierry Mugler gown and matching gloves.
    Kate Matthams, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In a typical breeding pair, one bird has two copies of the standard version, analogous to the XX genotype in humans.
    Donna L. Maney, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025
  • For example, the ocean being an extension of our lungs, also the tides, the currents as kind of analogous to a circulatory system, circulating the nutrients around the body of the Earth, etc.
    Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The actor, who does bear something of a resemblance to Jon Lovitz, sadly died in 2011.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Due to a mix of recent legal changes and an uncertain policy landscape, residents in roughly half of American states have easy access to impairing hemp products that bear a strong resemblance to marijuana and are far less regulated.
    Katharine Neill Harris, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The Institute’s Democratic counterpart, the National Democratic Institute, faces a similar challenge.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Research shows that Black women are 50% less likely to be diagnosed with the condition than their white counterparts.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Still, whether productions opt to shoot in California at historically comparable levels will depend on changes to the program outside of the increase to its cap.
    Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2025
  • That slightly positive metric ended eight consecutive quarters of comparable sales declines.
    Melissa Repko, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • This phenomenon is often illustrated with the idea of a bedsheet, stretched tight and marked with lines to form a square coordinate system.
    Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025
  • On the right side is a profile of Jose Gaspar as an homage to Gasparilla, and the coordinates of Amalie Arena.
    Eduardo A. Encina, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Parallel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parallel. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on parallel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!