parallels
2 antonyms for parallels — opposites grouped by meaning.
Noun — Similarities or points of close resemblance between two things that are otherwise separate.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
Similarities or points of close resemblance between two things that are otherwise separate.
“Historians have drawn parallels between the two financial crashes.”
similarities
correspondences
analogies
likenesses
echoes
Opposites
differences
contrasts
2. verb
Matches or corresponds closely to something else.
“His career parallels that of his father almost exactly.”
matches
mirrors
corresponds to
echoes
Antonyms
differences
contrasts
How to use parallels
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
draw parallels
striking parallels
close parallel
historical parallels
parallel lines
Neutral; common in journalism, history and academic writing.
Etymology
From Greek parallēlos, from para- 'beside' and allēlois 'one another', so literally 'beside each other'.
Full origin of parallels →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between parallels and similarities?
They overlap, but a parallel usually implies a structured, point-by-point resemblance between two whole situations, while a similarity can be a single shared feature. You draw parallels between two wars; you notice a similarity between two shirts.
What does 'draw parallels' mean?
It means to point out the ways in which two separate things resemble each other. The phrase does not claim the two things are the same, only that comparing them is useful.
What is the 38th parallel?
It is the line of latitude 38 degrees north of the equator, best known as the approximate dividing line between North and South Korea.
