similarly

/ˈsɪm.ə.lə.li/

//ˈsɪm.ə.lə.li// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"similarly" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“similarly” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,334. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,334
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a like style or manner.

Corpus desk

Index EN-similarly · similarly · English

similarly · rank #4,334 · 14 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #4,334
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH shield

Nearest frequency peer: shield (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “similarly”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “similarly” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

similarly vs similar
78% similar
similarly vs similarity
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for similarly
PropertyValue
Headwordsimilarly
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈsɪm.ə.lə.li/
Letters9
Frequency rank#4,334
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “similarly”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).similarlylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “shield” (#4,333), “slide” (#4,335), “separated” (#4,332). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “similarly” is #4,334. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around similarly (IPA /ˈsɪm.ə.lə.li/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #4,334 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for similarly, with forms such as "ismilarly", "siimlarly", and "simialrly". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "similar", "similarity", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From similar + -ly. The correct English form is similarly, spelled S-I-M-I-L-A-R-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a like style or manner.
  2. 2
    Used to link similar items.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how similarly appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The sisters dressed similarly.
  2. The solitary, lumbering trolls of Scandinavian mythology would sometimes be turned to stone by exposure to sunlight. Barack Obama is hoping that several measures announced on June 4th will have a similarly paralysing effect on their modern incarnation, the patent troll.

Etymology

From similar + -ly.

Synonyms

agreeablyalikeequivalentlyin kindlikewiseotherwaysreciprocallysimilarly

Antonyms

contrarilydifferentlydissimilarly

This word in other languages

igualmente(Español)pareillement(Français)ähnlich(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ismilarly
  • siimlarly
  • simialrly
  • similalry
  • similarlly
  • similarlyy
  • similarrly
  • similaryl
  • simillarly
  • similraly
  • simliarly
  • simmilarly
  • smiilarly
  • ssimilarly

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of similarly - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ismilarly2siimlarly2simialrly2similalry2similarlly1similarlyy1similarrly1similaryl2
Edit distance from "similarly"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "similarly"?
"similarly" is spelled S-I-M-I-L-A-R-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪm.ə.lə.li/.
What does "similarly" mean?
As an adverb, "similarly" means: In a like style or manner.
What words are commonly confused with "similarly"?
"similarly" is commonly confused with "similar", "similarity". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "similarly"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "similarly" is /ˈsɪm.ə.lə.li/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "similarly"?
From similar + -ly. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "similarly", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

separated#4,332attacking#4,348celebrity#4,355finishing#4,302

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

framework14 variantsfranchise14 variantsguaranteed14 variantslifestyle14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list