an analogous instance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an analogous instance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a situation or example that is similar or comparable to another situation being discussed. Example: "In discussing the impact of climate change on agriculture, we can look at an analogous instance in the history of droughts affecting crop yields."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Krishna Mohan Banerjee, in his Dialogues on the Hindu Philosophy, has the Samkhya speaker saying, "the existence of God cannot be established because there is no proof.... nor can it be proved by Inference, because you cannot exhibit an analogous instance".

Wikipedia

An analogous instance would have been a cartoon without commentary appearing in a liberal Northern newspaper in the 1920s — a time when Southern violence against blacks was unabated — that showed a black man raping a white woman while eating a watermelon.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The classic "Linda problem" is an analogous case.

The New Yorker

For analogous instances of the alertness of the Court to protect an accused against the effect of pretrial publicity, see Irvin v. Dowd, 366 U.S. 717, 81 S.Ct.

Cornell University

We explain why this specific case of misannotation had not yet been described and draw attention to the fact that analogous instances must be rather frequent.

BMC Genomics

The seismic community generally share event catalogues in the first instance, and an analogous approach for InSAR may be to share deformation signal parameters or heavily downsampled data.

Journal of Applied Volcanology

For instance, pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK) is an analogous enzyme to pyruvate kinase (PK), with a key difference being that PPDK uses pyrophosphate instead of ATP to catalyze the conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate into pyruvate and generates ATP in the process.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

We are using an analogous approach to define the roles of the transglutaminases, examining, in the first instance, TG2.

Atherosclerosis

The soup cans pose an analogous difficulty.

The New Yorker

Could an analogous literary "clock" be assembled?

The Guardian - Books

Aircraft owners face an analogous situation.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "an analogous instance", ensure that the comparison is relevant and clarifies the point you are making. The similarity should be clear and contribute to the overall understanding.

Common error

Avoid assuming that because two instances are analogous in some respects, they are identical in all respects. Clearly define the limits of the analogy to prevent misinterpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an analogous instance" functions as a noun phrase. It introduces a specific example or situation that shares key characteristics with another, thereby serving to clarify or illuminate the subject at hand. As supported by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically sound and serves a clear communicative purpose.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Academia

34%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an analogous instance" serves as a valuable tool for drawing comparisons and clarifying complex concepts. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and appropriate for use in various contexts, primarily within science, news, and academic settings. While it is not exceptionally common, using it effectively requires ensuring the analogy is relevant and aids understanding, avoiding overstatements about the similarities. Alternatives such as "a comparable case" or "a similar example" can be used to convey a similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a comparable case

Replaces 'analogous' with 'comparable,' focusing on the similarity for comparison.

a similar example

Substitutes 'analogous' with 'similar,' highlighting the resemblance between the instances.

a parallel situation

Uses 'parallel' instead of 'analogous,' emphasizing the side-by-side correspondence of the situations.

a corresponding example

Replaces 'analogous' with 'corresponding,' suggesting a direct relationship or match between the instances.

a related situation

Uses 'related' instead of 'analogous,' focusing on the connection or association between the situations.

an equivalent situation

Substitutes 'analogous' with 'equivalent,' indicating the situations are functionally the same.

a matching case

Replaces 'analogous' with 'matching,' emphasizing that the cases align or correspond closely.

a comparative instance

Uses 'comparative' instead of 'analogous,' focusing on the ability to compare the instances.

a like situation

Substitutes 'analogous' with 'like,' meaning the situations are alike or similar in nature.

a mirrored example

Replaces 'analogous' with 'mirrored,' suggesting the example reflects or closely resembles another.

FAQs

How can I use "an analogous instance" in a sentence?

You can use "an analogous instance" to introduce a comparison that helps explain a concept or situation. For example, "In discussing the economic recession, we can consider "a similar downturn" in the past as an analogous instance."

What can I say instead of "an analogous instance"?

Alternatives include "a comparable case", "a similar example", or "a parallel situation", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "an analogous instance" or "a similar instance"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "an analogous instance" implies a more detailed and structured comparison, while "a similar instance" is a more general comparison. Choose the phrase that best reflects the level of detail in your comparison.

What's the difference between "an analogous instance" and "a typical example"?

"An analogous instance" refers to a situation that shares key similarities with another, helping to explain it. "A typical example", on the other hand, is a representative case that exemplifies a general rule or trend, not necessarily drawing a direct comparison.