PARALLELS Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

parallels 1 of 2

noun

plural of parallel

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

parallels

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of parallel

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

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 parallels

Noun

Echoes of the dot-com era There are easy parallels to draw between the dot-com boom and the current AI boom. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 No wait, that's someone else, but the parallels between Annese and Indiana head coach and God-emperor of college football, Curt Cignetti, are striking. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Yet instead of reckoning with the parallels, right-wing pastors were urging Christians to emulate the intensity and all-in dedication of the jihadists. — Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026 Horgan sees parallels to the compromises creators now face in the television industry. — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 24 Aug. 2026 This has driven some agitated investors to see parallels between the current market and the conditions leading up to the dot-com crash of 2000-2002, when the overall S&P 500 lost nearly half its value. — Joe D'allegro, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026 Others see parallels in Hogan’s strongheadedness landing him in hot water with a federal judge yet again. — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026 But the parallels between what has happened to the video game market over the last decade and the trends reshaping Hollywood right now are striking. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026 Its olfactive parallels to cognac, the eau de parfum’s lead ingredient, are undeniable. — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2026

Verb

Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham said UMMA’s growth parallels the needs of the city and its neighbors as both evolve. — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026 Another episode, in which the pals attempt to win an award for best bar, parallels the comedy’s perpetual shutout from the Emmy Awards. — Paula Mejía, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 Drawing parallels, the article suggests modern leaders can adopt Shackleton's strategies, enhanced by AI tools like ChatGPT. — Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 The vice president’s first book is Hillbilly Elegy, a title that closely parallels Appalachian Elegy, a poetry collection by the radical Black feminist author bell hooks. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026 Al-Zaidi’s visit parallels a trip by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last November, when the White House announced hundreds of billions of dollars in private and public commitments by the two countries. — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 15 July 2026 Modern parallels The Progressive Era was a response to the Gilded Age driven by the late 19th century industrial revolution. — Mark Brilliant, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 Attorneys suing Lozano say her rise parallels an exponential increase in visa applications for trafficking and domestic abuse cases. — ABC News, 29 June 2026 Trump administration alleges ‘rampant fraud’ Attorneys suing Lozano say her rise parallels an exponential increase in visa applications for trafficking and domestic abuse cases. — Jack Brook, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for parallels

Noun

In those early conversations, Fernandez talked through a system that bore significant similarities to what Bueckers ran at UConn.

— Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Brunicki said that while there were some similarities with the dot‑com era, the underlying businesses of AI companies look different.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of similarities

Noun

OpenRouter's Justin Summerville told the network that open Chinese models can run 60% to 90% cheaper than the leading Anthropic and OpenAI equivalents.

— Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
His buyback calculation is based on a regulatory filing Berkshire made in July tied to Chairman Warren Buffett’s charitable stock donation, which disclosed his economic ownership of the company’s Class A share equivalents.

— Yun Li, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of equivalents

Noun

To make the resemblances convincing, Gethings recruited participants by complementing their standout features and promising to accentuate them with the help of hair and makeup stylists in a studio setting.

— Pat Mueller, USA Today, 30 May 2026
Most of the film’s other resemblances, of which there are many, prove less distressing.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026

Definition of resemblances

Noun

And while the hotel was certainly a different kind of spectacle—tamer and more refined than its Cafe counterparts—there was always another corner left to discover, or a new extension to look forward to on the next visit.

— Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
There are lots of brands that have worked to give us beautiful soft mattes that glide onto lids and don’t feel patchy or heavy like their previous counterparts.

— Elle Turner, Glamour, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of counterparts

Noun

And because nobody washed the dishes before tossing them into the feasting pit, King and his colleagues (in a 2017 study) could analyze the microscopic residue of ancient drinks that had soaked into the ceramic.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
Whether El Niño will continue to strengthen is something Cole and her colleagues’ records can’t answer, but scientists are using climate models to try to puzzle that out.

— Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of colleagues

Noun

Google says this will display the location's coordinates on both Android and iPhone.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Tai’s platform coordinates shipment lifecycle across truckload (TL) and less-than-truckload (LTL), drayage as well as cross-border operations.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of coordinates

Noun

Philanthropy takes center stage Organizers vowed to work with nonprofit partners to put the grants toward their most urgent and underresourced needs.

— James Pollard, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
People who work with the investor credit his business acumen, low-key demeanor and daunting work ethic, qualities that have attracted partners, founders and mentors alike — including Iger.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of partners

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parallelism

parallels

paralysis

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“Parallels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parallels. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of parallels

noun

verb

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