1
as in similarities
a point which two or more things share in common
her professor pointed out some parallels between the two novels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in equivalents
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 matches
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
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Recent Examples of parallels
Nicholas Riccardi, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
The striking parallels between the two regimes have led many observers to turn their attention to Iran and question whether the ailing Khamenei could face a similar fate.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 7 Jan. 2026
The parallels between the halfcourt shot and the TV team’s win aren’t lost.
—Jesse Wright, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
The results reveal structural parallels across many organisms without any shared ancestry.
—Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2026
The parallels are rather striking.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2026
Yet thinking through the architecture of Hotel Cambridge and 9 de Julho beyond such utilitarianism reveals another significant set of parallels and differences between Los Angeles and São Paulo.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
The Chris Sale parallels have been eerily excellent so far, with both leading the majors in strikeouts and either MLB or the AL in innings in their first Red Sox seasons, and finishing runner-up to an AL Central pitcher for the Cy Young Award.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
What once seemed like a dark and distant fantasy now has eerie parallels with our tumultuous present.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In Cameron’s 2009 epic, audiences meet the Na’vi for the first time in a story that parallels Disney’s Pocahontas.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Other Coloradans are working to restore the river some 200 miles downstream, in a broad canyon where the river parallels Interstate 70 northeast of Grand Junction.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Reagan Drive parallels the interstate in north Charlotte.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 11 Dec. 2025
Longtime collectors appreciate the connection to sports history and the sentimental value of classic cards, while newer collectors are drawn to modern designs, limited-edition inserts, and parallels that make the hobby feel fresh and competitive.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
The trend closely parallels human vaccine skepticism.
—Henry I. Miller, Boston Herald, 25 Nov. 2025
For about 24 hours after the stand was spotted, investigators closed all lanes of Southern Boulevard, which parallels the southern border of the airport.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
As always with Matlock, the case parallels what’s going on in Matty and Olympia’s lives.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
The parallels were painful and frightening for many in the area, including Stephanie Abel, a 56-year-old Minneapolis nurse, who is keeping her gas tank full and cash handy in memory of the chaos that followed that slaying.
—Verb
Such history implies that building humanoids is a cultural imperative, an instinct that parallels biological reproduction.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for parallels
Noun
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And what are the similarities and differences between the Woman, Life, Freedom movement and this moment?—
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There are several similarities between the team’s current iteration and the group from 10 years ago.—
Noun
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Both remain short of the team equivalents in the United States.—
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Dry cereal, such as Cheerios, Kix, Chex, or store-brand equivalents.—
Verb
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The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte’s Angel Tree program matches children in need with anonymous donors who buy them presents for Christmas, and provides senior citizens with gifts.—
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This Hermes Kelly Bag Craie matches the COS scarf coat but brings back a little structure to the look.—
Noun
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Floods, tricksters, battles with monsters, creation and apocalypse—sometimes the resemblances are uncanny.—
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Further investigation into a chalk underdrawing of ‘The Night Watch,’ using macro X-ray florescence scans, showed even more resemblances between the two dogs.—
Noun
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But the Hornets had a tough time shaking free from their conference counterparts.—
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Western counterparts often acknowledge them privately, even as public backlash from some European institutions and media figures ensued against Rubio’s candor.—
Noun
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Cruz also pressed his Democratic colleagues to join a bipartisan request for the DOJ to turn over the evidentiary basis for the subpoenas, arguing transparency was necessary to assess whether the secrecy orders were justified.—
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Last year, following Hoda Kotb's January 2025 departure, the fourth hour of the morning show was retitled Today With Jenna & Friends, and saw Hager joined by a rotating cast of A-listers and colleagues to help her anchor the program.—
Noun
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While 2025 denim was nearly a carbon copy of 2024—loose fits, Western influences, denim coordinates and minimal distressing—2026 could see an injection of newness.—
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Urbano’s installations, radically utopian in this sense, re-create ideal spaces free from the spatiotemporal coordinates and rigid laws that govern our daily lives.—
Noun
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The E²ngel consortium partners, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and McPhy Energy Germany, carried out the timely qualification and validation, according to a press release.—
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Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic.—
Cite this Entry
“Parallels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parallels. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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