Similar To: Standard Pattern
Similar To: Standard Pattern replaces an already-owned preliminary Opposed intent with a directly documented, distinct construction page rather than reviving the earlier unsupported Similar To/With contrast.
Cambridge Grammar explicitly gives “similar to” as the pattern for comparing things that are alike but not entirely the same.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| comparing things that are alike but not exactly the same | similar to + noun/pronoun | Use the documented comparison pattern. |
| comparing one thing with a clause-like idea | recast so the comparison target is clear | Keep the “similar to” relation explicit. |
| claiming complete identity | identical to / another precise expression | “Similar” does not itself mean identical. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Do you mean that one thing resembles another without being exactly the same?
If yes: Use “similar to.”
If no: Choose a more precise expression if you mean identity or a different relation.
Caveat: The source explicitly documents “similar to” for resemblance; this guide does not turn every near-synonym into an error.
Examples
This design is similar to the earlier version.
“Similar to” introduces the comparison target.
Her approach is similar to mine.
The pronoun names the comparison target.
The two samples are similar to each other.
The construction expresses resemblance without claiming identity.
Further guidance
Construction
Cambridge Grammar explicitly lists similar to as the pattern.
Style Boundary
This guide records the supported construction only; it does not manufacture a parallel similar-with rule.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Same, similar, identical — Cambridge Dictionary Grammar (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Cambridge Grammar evidence that similar and identical use the patterns similar to and identical to.