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
The officers used a search pattern in which boats snaked back and forth, moving outward from the shoreline, in increasingly long lines parallel to it, Renner said. Ethan Wolin updated July 4, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2025 For that reason, Napoleon penetrated enemy territory along parallel roads. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Noun
Christian Petersen/Getty Images The parallel is undeniable. Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025 In 2006, the company introduced CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) as a proprietary parallel computing platform and application programming interface. Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Verb
Crow-Armstrong’s actions parallel a difficult stretch for the Cubs. Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025 The season parallels the university’s academic year, starting in September and ending in May. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for parallel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parallel
Adjective
  • Last year saw three similar incursions, according to The Associated Press.
    Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
  • In science and technology, important breakthroughs have emerged in similar fashion — not from deliberate problem-solving, but from the mind’s quiet work beneath the surface.
    Chris Reed, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
Noun
  • The storyline seemed to have similarities to what happened on your season of The Bachelorette.
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 7 July 2025
  • That event contained eerie similarities to the flood that occurred over the weekend, when slow-moving thunderstorms trained over a large area of the Hill Country during the late evening of July 16, 1987.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • While State Farm cites climate trends and home replacement costs going up, Scarr says only clear oversight will ensure the numbers match reality.
    Catrina Barker, The Washington Examiner, 13 July 2025
  • No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems matches both When the Sun Goes Down and his Greatest Hits compilation.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • The war between Russia and Ukraine is not perfectly analogous to contingencies that the United States may face in the future, and not every lesson in Ukraine is applicable to U.S. military planning, but this war is nonetheless full of instructive technological innovations and breakthroughs.
    JON FINER, Foreign Affairs, 7 July 2025
  • And the concho found fans across the world—especially among people who see its plight as analogous to their own, and who have latched on to it as a symbol of resilience.
    Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • But polls show a growing consensus among Americans that women's sports should be for women, and that Title IX has been stretched out of all resemblance to its original intent.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
  • Great for everything from a day at the pool to a trip abroad, per shopper reviews, this spacious carryall immediately caught our attention for bearing a striking resemblance to the tote Meghan Markle used to showcase a colorful garden haul, thanks to its woven texture and faux leather handle.
    Averi Baudler, People.com, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • For Hacks, Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs didn't receive any nods, though some of their counterparts like Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder did.
    Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 15 July 2025
  • That’s no longer the case, thanks to innovations like Nova, which deliver impressive results that rival those of their less sustainable counterparts.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • Yes, Amazon Prime Day deals are comparable to Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
    Clara McMahon, People.com, 8 July 2025
  • The price is comparable to competitors, plus the products are regularly on sale with free shipping and gifts.
    Stewart Savin, Architectural Digest, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • The company works with SpaceX for rides to the International Space Station and coordinates with NASA for the usage of the I.S.S. for its astronauts.
    Brendan Byrne, NPR, 25 June 2025
  • Every frame of every possible film exists as coordinates...
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 24 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Parallel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parallel. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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