Similarly

Similarly is an English adverb used to indicate that the following statement or action is comparable to something previously described. It signals similarity in manner, situation, or result and is often used to connect clauses or sentences. When placed at the start of a sentence, it introduces a parallel point; when used mid-sentence, it emphasizes that the second element mirrors the first.

Etymology: Similar, from Latin similis meaning “like” or “resembling,” with the adverbial suffix -ly forming similarly. The word entered English through Latin and Old French intermediaries, with similarly developing as a standard adverb to express analogy or parallelism in discourse.

Usage notes: In formal writing, similarly is commonly preceded by a semicolon or followed by a comma when connecting independent clauses. It is not always interchangeable with likewise; while both express parallelism, similarly emphasizes the manner or process, whereas likewise can indicate addition or agreement. It can appear at the beginning of a clause or sentence, or within a sentence to highlight a parallel example.

Examples:

- The study measured response times in humans. Similarly, the animal experiments tracked reaction speeds.

- The first method reduces cost and time; similarly, the second method achieves the same reduction in a different setting.

- She follows a strict schedule; similarly, her colleague adheres to a precise timetable.

See also: likewise, in the same way, by analogy.