Distinguishing Between Same & Similar

The key difference between same and similar is that the word same means being identical, without having any difference whereas the word similar means having a resemblance in some aspect, without being identical. The two words same and similar have very similar meanings. Many people even use these words interchangeably. However, it is important to note that there is a distinct difference between same and similar. Same indicates that two things are identical, but similar implies that there is a similarity between the two things compared.

Key Takeaways

• Same implies that two things are identical, while similar means there is a resemblance without being identical.
• Same can function as both an adjective and a pronoun, while similar only functions as an adjective.
• Using “same” indicates that there is no difference between the two things compared, whereas “similar” only indicates a resemblance in appearance, character, or quantity.

What Does Same Mean?

Same means being identical, without having any distinguishable difference. Same can also mean unchanged. Look at the following examples to understand these different meanings.
She wore the same dress she wore to her sister’s wedding.
The students wore the same clothes: white shirts and black trousers.
I have worked at the same place for the last ten years.
The couple drank from the same glass.
She is the same age as my mother.
Figure 01: The boys are wearing the same T-shirt.
These two colors are not the same; this one is a shade lighter than the other.
The photographer noticed that Anna and Jade were wearing the same dress.
He quit smoking and encouraged all his friends to do the same.
As you can see from the above example sentences, the word same can act as an adjective as well as a pronoun.

What Does Similar Mean?

Similar means having a resemblance in appearance, character or quantity, without being identical. In other words, we use the word similar if two or more things are not entirely the same. This word is mainly used as an adjective.
The climate of this region is similar to the climate of South India.
You can use any soft cheese similar to Brie cheese in this recipe.
We decided to wear similar dresses to the prom.
The language they spoke was very similar to French.
Figure 02: The boys are wearing similar suits.
Your brother and I share similar points of views in politics.
This fabric is somewhat similar to silk but is cheaper.
It was easy for them to understand each other since they came from similar backgrounds.

What is the Difference Between Same and Similar?

The main difference between same and similar is that the word same implies that two things are identical whereas the word  similar doesn’t imply that two things are identical. Same indicates that there is no difference, but similar only indicates that there is a resemblance in appearance, character or quantity. Moreover, same functions as both an adjective and a pronoun whereas similar only functions as an adjective.

Summary – Same vs Similar

There is a distinct difference between same and similar even though most people use these two words interchangeably. Same implies that two things are identical; however, similar doesn’t imply that two things are identical, it merely implies that it has some resemblance.
Image Courtesy:
1.”3562672/” by evasaraujo (CC0) via Pixabay
2.”1169067/” by FreeWorld (CC0) via Pixabay

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