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very similar
/ˈvɛri ˈsɪmələr/
almost identical
These two paintings are very similar, but one has a slightly darker background.
The paintings share nearly identical features except for the background shade.
neutral
Sharing a high degree of likeness or resemblance
The twins look very similar, though they have different hairstyles.
The twins are nearly identical in appearance despite styling differences.
These two models are very similar in performance, with only minor differences.
The models perform almost identically, differing only slightly.
Used to emphasize close but not absolute similarity. Often replaces 'almost the same' for stronger nuance.
Collocations
very similar toalmost identical tolook very similarappear almost identicalvery similar innearly identical in terms of
Pro Tip
Avoid redundancy
Do not pair 'very similar' with 'almost' or 'nearly' (e.g., 'very similar to almost identical' is redundant). Use one or the other.
Gold Rule
Precision in comparison
Use 'very similar' when emphasizing closeness but not perfection. For absolute similarity, use 'identical' or 'the same'.
Word Origin
Combination of 'very' (Old English 'fela' meaning 'greatly') and 'similar' (Latin 'similis' meaning 'like'). First attested in English around the 17th century as a compound adjective.
Usage Notes
Common in academic, technical, and casual contexts to indicate high similarity without absolute equivalence. Often used to avoid overstating exactness.
Word Breakdown
very
to a high degree
adverbsimilar
resembling but not identical
adjectiveEnglish Dictionary