as in similar
having qualities in common
parallel lives of two friends who first met in college
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in similarity
a point which two or more things share in common
her professor pointed out some parallels between the two novels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in equivalent
one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value
an advance that is without parallel in the history of virology
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to match
to be the exact counterpart of
developments in the television show paralleled those in the lead actor's real life
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
ABC News,
30 June 2026
There's a whole parallel constellation of friendships and relationships going on.
—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 June 2026
ABC News,
2 July 2026
For some visitors, the monument to one of the nation’s most consequential chapters also drew unsettling parallels to today's divisions.
—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
Letters To The Editor,
Hartford Courant,
27 June 2026
Remnants of this dirt road can still be seen, and the road roughly parallels present-day Sherrill Road.
—
Arkansas Online,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for parallel
Adjective
Despite the original 1988 schismatic act, the group has continued to grow and today poses a threat to the Holy See as a parallel, ultra-Catholic, pre-Vatican II church.
—
ABC News,
30 June 2026
There's a whole parallel constellation of friendships and relationships going on.
—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 June 2026
Noun
As supporters and protesters clash, Cartman travels back to 1776, witnesses the independence debate and finds parallels to the present.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
For some visitors, the monument to one of the nation’s most consequential chapters also drew unsettling parallels to today's divisions.
—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
Verb
The death of freedom of speech would parallel the death of our democracy.
—
Letters To The Editor,
Hartford Courant,
27 June 2026
Remnants of this dirt road can still be seen, and the road roughly parallels present-day Sherrill Road.
—
Arkansas Online,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for parallel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parallel
Adjective
-
The arrests come a few weeks after 12 men were taken into custody in a similar sting operation in Miami-Dade.
-
The Boyle Heights blaze, similar to the Eaton and Palisades fires, has revealed the region’s air monitoring can’t always tell people what they’ve been exposed to in a disaster.
Noun
-
The idea was to reflect girlhood through different periods of American history, showing the changes and similarities in books and their accompanying dolls and historically accurate outfits.
-
If cultural similarity were the sine qua non of syncing up, then homogenous rosters would be the recipe for success.
Noun
-
More than two decades since the Concorde supersonic airliner last took to the skies, NASA has been flying an experimental aircraft designed to replace loud sonic booms with a quieter thump equivalent to a car door slamming shut 20 feet away.
-
In 2014 she was made a dame, the female equivalent of a knight, for services to the arts and to charity.
Verb
-
After deciding on the right type of pet, start the adoption process and lean on shelter staff to help match you with an animal that fits your lifestyle.
-
Tim Edwards, Cal Fire Local 2881 president, says that the current salary calculation formula, which matches firefighter pay with other state workers salaries, does not account for inflation or the amount of overtime state firefighters are working.
Adjective
-
Moreover, the timeline for doing all this is roughly analogous as well – a matter of weeks, once the fissile material is in hand.
-
The timelines are just different, and finding analogous industries to benchmark defense companies against is not easy.
Noun
-
During the 0-0 draw between Ecuador and Curaçao at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, locals noted online that Ecuador’s manager, Sebastián Beccacece, bears a striking resemblance to the local legal phenomenon.
-
These slip-ons bear a striking resemblance to Field’s pair with a simple black upper and white platform soles.
Noun
-
After recently joining the brand ambassadorship craze by naming Spanish music sensation Bad Gyal as their brand’s first ambassador, the Dsquared2 founders are adding a male counterpart to this new strategy by tapping another local talent.
-
Unlike larger corporate counterparts, SMEs don't always have the financial reserves to comfortably absorb geopolitical upheaval and rapid inflation.
Adjective
-
Through facilitated forums and advisory ecosystems, the organization builds environments where owners can test ideas, evaluate risk, and gain perspective from peers navigating comparable pressures.
-
Winner may not substitute, assign or transfer Prize or redeem Prize for cash, but Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to substitute Prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value.
Cite this Entry
“Parallel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parallel. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
