When comparing two people, objects, situations, or ideas, similar to is normally the correct choice.
Similar with is not the standard pattern when with introduces the thing being compared. However, the two words can appear next to each other when with begins a separate phrase, as in “The plans are similar with respect to price.”
The real difference depends on the grammatical job performed by the preposition.
Quick Answer
Use similar to when directly comparing one thing to another:
“Your proposal is similar to mine.”
Do not use similar with for the same purpose:
“Your proposal is similar with mine.”
In standard US English, that sentence should use to. The form similar with is acceptable only when with belongs to a longer expression or adds separate information rather than naming the comparison target.
Why People Confuse Them
The confusion usually comes from other English expressions that use with. Writers may already know phrases such as compare with, agree with, or consistent with. They then assume that similar follows the same pattern.
Some languages also pair their equivalent of similar with a preposition that translates as with. That structure does not carry over naturally into English.
Another source of confusion is that the words sometimes appear together correctly. In “The two designs are similar with respect to color,” with belongs to the complete expression with respect to. It does not introduce the second design.
Key Differences At A Glance
| Context | Best Choice | Why |
| Directly comparing two things | similar to | To introduces the comparison target |
| Comparing something with a pronoun | similar to | Say “similar to mine” or “similar to yours” |
| Comparing something with a what-clause | similar to | Say “similar to what happened before” |
| Naming one particular area of likeness | similar with respect to | With belongs to the longer expression |
| Adding a separate feature after similar | Depends on the full sentence | With may describe a feature rather than a comparison target |
Meaning and Usage Difference
Both expressions contain the adjective similar, which means alike in some ways but not exactly the same. The difference lies in what follows that adjective.
- Similar to: The standard construction for identifying the person, object, event, or idea that serves as the comparison target.
- Similar with: Not a standard direct-comparison construction. It works only when with performs another job in a longer sentence.
For example, “This phone is similar to my old phone” directly compares two phones.
By contrast, “I want something similar with more storage” can be grammatical. In that sentence, with more storage describes an added feature of the thing the speaker wants. The comparison target may already be understood from context.
For additional guidance, see Cambridge Dictionary’s explanation of same, similar, and identical, which shows how similar to is used in standard English comparisons.
Tone, Context, and Formality
Similar to has a neutral tone. It works in conversation, school assignments, reports, product descriptions, professional messages, and formal documents.
Using similar with as a direct comparison does not make the sentence more formal. Instead, it usually sounds awkward or influenced by another language.
A longer construction such as “similar with respect to cost” is formal and acceptable. Its formality comes from with respect to, not from replacing to with with.
There is no meaningful US-versus-UK distinction here. The normal comparison pattern is similar to.
Which One Should You Use?
Choose similar to whenever your sentence answers this question:
“What is this person or thing being compared to?”
“The new policy is similar to the previous policy.”
“Their apartment is similar to ours.”
“Her experience was similar to what I went through.”
Use a structure containing similar with only when with introduces different information:
“The two plans are similar with respect to their monthly cost.”
“We need something similar with better accessibility features.”
In those examples, with does not replace the comparison preposition.
When One Choice Sounds Wrong
A sentence may remain unclear even after replacing with with to if it compares unlike things.
Consider:
“Marcus’s writing style is similar to Elena.”
This compares a writing style with a person. The intended comparison is probably between two writing styles.
A clearer version is:
“Marcus’s writing style is similar to Elena’s.”
The same problem appears in “Her salary is similar to her manager.” Change it to “Her salary is similar to her manager’s” because one salary is being compared with another salary.
Pronouns and possessive forms often prevent incomplete comparisons:
“My schedule is similar to yours.”
“Their concerns are similar to ours.”
Common Mistakes (and Quick Fixes)
Mistake 1: Using with for the comparison target
Wrong: “My background is similar with hers.”
Correct: “My background is similar to hers.”
Mistake 2: Comparing different kinds of things
Unclear: “My background is similar to Sara.”
Clear: “My background is similar to Sara’s.”
Mistake 3: Treating similar as meaning exactly the same
“These contracts are similar” allows for differences. It does not necessarily mean every term matches.
Mistake 4: Changing to with because the sentence sounds formal
Wrong: “The findings are similar with the earlier study.”
Correct: “The findings are similar to those of the earlier study.”
Mistake 5: Correcting every nearby similar with sequence
“The houses are similar with respect to size” is acceptable because with respect to size identifies the area being discussed.
Everyday Examples
Correct: “This jacket is similar to the one you wore yesterday.”
Incorrect: “This jacket is similar with the one you wore yesterday.”
Correct: “Our work schedules are similar to each other.”
Incorrect: “Our work schedules are similar with each other.”
Correct: “The problem is similar to what happened last month.”
Incorrect: “The problem is similar with what happened last month.”
Correct: “Her responsibilities are similar to mine.”
Incorrect: “Her responsibilities are similar with me.”
Correct: “The two packages are similar with respect to price.”
Here, with respect to price means that price is the particular area in which the packages resemble each other.
Correct: “Can you find something similar with a stronger handle?”
Here, with a stronger handle describes the desired object. It does not name the object being used for comparison.
Dictionary-Style Word Details
Verb
Similar to: Not used as a verb. The central word similar is an adjective.
Similar with: Not used as a verb. This sequence does not create a separate verb form.
Noun
Similar to: Not normally used as a noun. It is an adjective followed by a preposition.
Similar with: Not normally used as a noun. When the words appear together, their roles depend on the larger sentence.
Synonyms
Similar to: Closest plain alternatives include like, akin to, comparable to, and resembling. The best replacement depends on sentence structure and tone.
A useful opposite is different from. Unlike may also work in some sentence patterns.
Similar with: It has no separate standard synonym as a direct-comparison phrase. Replace it with similar to or another suitable alternative when with incorrectly introduces the comparison target.
Example Sentences
- Standard use with “similar to”: “The updated dashboard is similar to the previous version.”
- Another correct example: “Her answer was similar to mine, but the supporting details were different.”
- Nonstandard direct comparison: “The dashboard is similar with the previous version.”
- Acceptable in a longer phrase: “The dashboards are similar with respect to layout.”
Word History
Similar to: The adjective similar entered English through French and Medieval Latin forms related to the Latin similis, meaning “like.” In modern English, to became the established preposition for naming its comparison target.
Similar with: This is not a separate historical expression with a distinct meaning. When it appears acceptably, with belongs to another construction in the sentence.
Phrases Containing
Similar to: similar to mine, similar to each other, similar to what we expected, very similar to, and broadly similar to.
Similar with: Avoid it as a direct comparison pattern. Valid longer constructions include similar with respect to price and something similar with more storage.
FAQs
Is “similar to” or “similar with” correct?
Similar to is the correct standard phrase when directly comparing two people, objects, situations, or ideas. For example, say, “This design is similar to the original.” Using similar with in the same sentence would sound unnatural in standard US English.
Why do we say “similar to” instead of “similar with”?
The adjective similar normally takes the preposition to before the comparison target. Therefore, we say, “Her opinion is similar to mine.” English adjective-preposition combinations do not always follow a logical pattern, so the standard combination must often be learned as a complete phrase.
Can “similar with” ever be correct?
The words can appear together when with belongs to another part of the sentence. For example, “I need something similar with a larger screen” means the speaker wants a similar product that also has a larger screen. Here, with introduces an added feature rather than the comparison target.
Is it “similar to me” or “similar with me”?
Use similar to me when comparing someone or something directly with you. For example, “Your brother is similar to me in several ways.” However, possessive wording may be clearer when comparing specific qualities: “Your brother’s personality is similar to mine.”
Should I say “similar to each other” or “similar with each other”?
The standard expression is similar to each other. For example, “The two houses are similar to each other.” You may also write, “The two houses are similar,” because the comparison is already clear from the plural subject.
Does “similar” mean exactly the same?
No. Similar means that two things share noticeable qualities, but they are not necessarily identical. Two phones may be similar in size and design while having different cameras, prices, or storage capacities. Use identical only when there is no meaningful difference between them.
Conclusion
Use similar to when one person, object, experience, or idea is being compared directly with another.
“Her approach is similar to mine” is natural and standard. “Her approach is similar with mine” is not.
Still, do not assume that every appearance of the neighboring words similar with is an error. In a sentence such as “The products are similar with respect to quality,” with belongs to a separate phrase. Likewise, in “I need something similar with a larger screen,” it introduces an added feature. The safest test is simple: when the words after the preposition name the comparison target, choose similar to.
Similar to is the correct standard phrase when directly comparing two people, objects, situations, or ideas. For example, say, “This design is similar to the original.” Using similar with in the same sentence would sound unnatural in standard US English.
The adjective similar normally takes the preposition to before the comparison target. Therefore, we say, “Her opinion is similar to mine.” English adjective-preposition combinations do not always follow a logical pattern, so the standard combination must often be learned as a complete phrase.
The words can appear together when with belongs to another part of the sentence. For example, “I need something similar with a larger screen” means the speaker wants a similar product that also has a larger screen. Here, with introduces an added feature rather than the comparison target.
Use similar to me when comparing someone or something directly with you. For example, “Your brother is similar to me in several ways.” However, possessive wording may be clearer when comparing specific qualities: “Your brother’s personality is similar to mine.”
The standard expression is similar to each other. For example, “The two houses are similar to each other.” You may also write, “The two houses are similar,” because the comparison is already clear from the plural subject.
No. Similar means that two things share noticeable qualities, but they are not necessarily identical. Two phones may be similar in size and design while having different cameras, prices, or storage capacities. Use identical only when there is no meaningful difference between them.
