These words are used to describe persons or things that in some way or to some extent resemble on another. Similar and alike are close in that both mean resemblance in whole or part.

• My shoes are similar to the ones you had on yesterday; The two office buildings are alike in size and shape.

The difference between similar and alike has to do with the extent of resemblance they indicate. Both words can be used in reference to a slight degree of likeness.

• I don’t understand how you could have mistaken one car for the other, since only their colours are similar ; The cousins are alike in age, but otherwise as different as day and night.

But when a complete correspondence is to be designated, the word with this denotation is alike .

• All the houses in this project are alike .

In this connection it is interesting to note that, by the use of modifiers, similar and alike may be made to express more or less resemblance: somewhat similar in taste; not at all alike in price. Even with modifiers, however, identity can be expressed only by alike , since we can speak of two things being exactly alike but not exactly similar .

Those things are comparable that are capable or worthy of being examined together with reference to their likeness or unlikeness, or in order to ascertain their relative excellence or defects.

• The performance of this reasonably priced record player is comparable in quality to that of some more expensive hi-fi sets; The music of Irving Berlin is scarcely comparable to that of Beethoven.

Parallel is used when comparing things that show a great likeness, whether real or apparent, or that have great similarity in their development, construction, history, operation, tendencies, etc.

• Australia’s great migrant influx since World War II is parallel to that of the United States a century ago; Can you point out any parallel passages in the composer’s first and second symphonies?