Ähnliche

ähnliche is the attributive form of the German adjective ähnlich, meaning similar or resembling. It describes a noun by indicating likeness to another thing, person, or group. The term is common in everyday language as well as academic or journalistic writing to compare characteristics, features, or outcomes.

Grammatically, ähnlich behaves like other German adjectives. When used attributively before a noun, it is declined to agree with gender, number, and case. The form ähnliche commonly appears before feminine singular nouns (die ähnliche Idee) and before plural nouns (ähnliche Merkmale). It also occurs in neuter plural constructions and with other determiners, such as verschiedene ähnliche Fälle. In predicative position after linking verbs like sein, bleiben or werden, the adjective typically remains in its base form, as in Die Ergebnisse sind ähnlich.

Usage notes include that ähnlich is used to indicate partial or qualitative likeness rather than exact identity. It can be combined with wie to form comparisons: ähnlich wie, meaning “similar to.” The related adverbial phrase in ähnlicher Weise means “in a similar way.” In contrast to gleich (identical) or analog (analogous in technical terms), ähnlich stresses likeness rather than sameness.

Examples:

- die ähnliche Idee

- ähnliche Situationen

- ähnliche Produkte

- Die Ergebnisse sind ähnlich.

See also: ähnlich, gleich, analog, Vergleich.