Similar or Dissimilar: English Vocabulary List

a person or thing that closely resembles or duplicates another

"He is a dead ringer."

"He is a dead ringer for his father and people often mistake them for twins."

a situation that is completely different from what one was previously dealing with

"This is a different ball game."

"Playing chess is one thing but playing three dimensional chess is a completely new ball game entirely."

not in any way alike in character or quality

"They are different as chalk."

"Although they are twins, the two sisters are as different as chalk and cheese in personality and taste."

two people or things that are completely different from one another

"Comparing apples and oranges."

"Comparing her singing to his is like comparing apples and oranges because they sing completely different styles of music."

to define a limit concerning what action or thing one refuses to do or tolerate

"You have to draw the line somewhere."

"You need to draw a line between your professional life and your personal life for your own sanity."

a significant difference between two things, often in a disappointing or unfavorable way

"This cheap room is a far cry from the hotel we wanted."

"The hotel we stayed at was a far cry from the luxury resort we had booked online."

in a position or situation that is entirely different from what one is used to

"Other side of the fence."

"The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence but my neighbour's life is not as perfect as it seems."

used to say that both options or situations are equal and that none is better or worse than the other

"It's six of one."

"Whether you choose the blue shirt or the red shirt, it's six of one, half a dozen of the other."

someone or something that looks exactly like another person or thing

"He is the spitting image."

"The young actor is the spitting image of his famous father from years ago."

used to indicate that all types of a certain thing are almost the same

"Seen one, seen them all."

"After visiting twenty trade shows in two years, she felt seen one, seen them all — the formats never changed."

of the same type as something else or closely resembling it

"Something along those lines."

"He said something along the lines of I quit before storming out of the office angrily."

a person or thing that has the exact same function as that of another person or thing, but in a different place or situation

"My opposite number works there."

"I spoke with my opposite number at the Berlin office to coordinate our departments' joint strategy."

to distinguish the good from the bad

"Separate sheep from goats."

"The interview process helps the company sort out the sheep from the goats and find the best candidates."

(of two or more things) very similar to one another

"They are much of a muchness."

"The two hotels are much of a muchness because they both offer similar rooms at about the same price."

used to emphasize a significant contrast or distinction between people, things, or situations

"A world of difference exists."

"There is a world of difference between being confident and being arrogant in a job interview situation."

used to refer to similar things related to what was previously said

"His job, his car, all jazz."

"He is interested in art music literature and all that jazz but he knows nothing about sports."

(of people or things) to be the same in type or in character

"They are two of a kind."

"The two friends are two of a kind because they both love adventure and hate staying in one place for too long."

a person who shares similar attitudes, beliefs, or interests with another person, and with whom one feels a deep connection or understanding

"She found a kindred spirit."

"In her new book club, she finally discovered a kindred spirit who shared her passion for classic literature."

used to refer to something that is very dark or black in color

"The night was black as hat."

"The deep forest at midnight was as black as my hat, making it impossible to see the path ahead."

completely black or dark

"The cave was dark as pitch."

"When the lights went out during the storm, the entire house was as dark as pitch for several hours."

to make a clear distinction between two things, particularly two ideas, that are closely related

"I draw the line here."

"While I tolerate some minor inconveniences, I must draw the line at blatant disrespect."