1
Clarify a concept
Explain something difficult through a familiar comparison.
Example
The teacher used an analogy between electrical current and flowing water.
analogy
/əˈnælədʒi/ · uh-NAL-uh-jeenoun
A comparison used to clarify an idea by showing a relevant similarity.
Use analogy when a speaker explains an unfamiliar relationship through comparison with a more familiar one.
What analogy Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Compare relationships
Show that two pairs share a similar structure or function.
Example
The essay draws an analogy between ecosystems and economic networks.
3
Reason from similarity
Use an established resemblance to suggest a possible conclusion.
Example
By analogy with nearby sites, archaeologists expected a central courtyard.
Use analogy Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The teacher used an analogy between electrical current and flowing water.
The author develops an analogy between memory and an imperfect archive.
The legal argument proceeds by analogy with an earlier case.
Precision Matters
Analogy overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
analogy
vs.Usually serves explanation or reasoning through relevant similarity.
comparison
Merely examines likenesses or differences.
analogy
vs.Can be extended and explicitly explanatory.
metaphor
Describes one thing figuratively as another.
analogy
vs.Uses a different but structurally similar case.
example
Illustrates a category with an instance of that category.
analogy
vs.Depends on partial similarity.
identity
Means complete sameness—the contrast.
Test analogy in Context
A familiar comparison clarifies an unfamiliar relationship.
1
To explain why one damaged component can weaken an entire network, the author draws an ___ between the network and a chain whose strength depends on every link.