SIMILAR

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does similar mean? 

• SIMILAR (adjective)
  The adjective SIMILAR has 5 senses:

1. marked by correspondence or resemblance

2. having the same or similar characteristics

3. resembling or similar; having the same or some of the same characteristics; often used in combination

4. (of words) expressing closely related meanings

5. capable of replacing or changing places with something else; permitting mutual substitution without loss of function or suitability

  Familiarity information: SIMILAR used as an adjective is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SIMILAR (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Marked by correspondence or resemblance

Context example:

they wore similar coats

Similar:

akin; kindred (similar in quality or character)

analogous; correspondent (similar or equivalent in some respects though otherwise dissimilar)

confusable; mistakable (so similar as to be easily identified for another thing)

connatural (similar in nature)

corresponding (similar especially in position or purpose)

quasi (having some resemblance)

sympathetic (having similar disposition and tastes)

Also:

same (closely similar or comparable in kind or quality or quantity or degree)

Attribute:

similarity (the quality of being similar)

Antonym:

dissimilar (not similar)

Derivation:

similarity (the quality of being similar)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Having the same or similar characteristics

Synonyms:

alike; like; similar

Context example:

friends are generally alike in background and taste

Attribute:

alikeness; likeness; similitude (similarity in appearance or character or nature between persons or things)

Derivation:

similarity (the quality of being similar)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Resembling or similar; having the same or some of the same characteristics; often used in combination

Synonyms:

like; similar

Context example:

a dreamlike quality

Similar:

like-minded (of the same turn of mind)

look-alike (resembling closely)

suchlike (of the same kind)

Also:

same (closely similar or comparable in kind or quality or quantity or degree)

Derivation:

similarity (the quality of being similar)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(of words) expressing closely related meanings

Similar:

synonymous ((of words) meaning the same or nearly the same)

Derivation:

similarity (the quality of being similar)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Capable of replacing or changing places with something else; permitting mutual substitution without loss of function or suitability

Synonyms:

exchangeable; interchangeable; similar; standardised; standardized

Context example:

interchangeable parts

Similar:

replaceable (capable of being replaced)

Derivation:

similarity (the quality of being similar)

 Context examples 

In the course of the week a dozen similar letters were forwarded to Martin by the editors of various Eastern magazines.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Similar but more friendly exchanges took place afterwards, usually at intervals of three or four weeks.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

It has actions and uses similar to those of MORPHINE.

(Methadone hydrochloride, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A procedure in which a person receives blood-forming stem cells (cells from which all blood cells develop) from a genetically similar, but not identical, donor.

(Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, NCI Dictionary)

Meticrane acts in a similar manner as the thiazide diuretics.

(Meticrane, NCI Thesaurus)

None of us could suggest what it meant, though Summerlee was of opinion that he had seen something similar upon one of the young ones two days before.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

However, the challenges in proving this link are similar to those of heart disease and cancer.

(Can Chocolate Really Be Good for You?, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

One other experience of similar nature was his.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

A synthetic cytotoxic s-triazine derivative similar in structure to alkylating agent triethylenemelamin with antineoplastic activity.

(Altretamine, NCI Thesaurus)

Its clinical behavior is similar to medulloblastoma.

(Medullomyoblastoma with Myogenic Differentiation, NCI Thesaurus)