Cool MateLike brothers and stuff vs Similar
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Like brothers and stuff
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Similar
Top 2,000 (common)A1adjective
Most formal: SimilarMost common: Similar
| Like brothers and stuff | Similar | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //laɪk ˈbrʌðəz ənd stʌf//🇺🇸 //laɪk ˈbrʌðərz ənd stʌf// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsɪmələ(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsɪmələr/"]/ |
| Meaning | Similar to brothers and similar things. | Almost the same as something else. |
| Example | They argue sometimes, but they're always friends, like brothers and stuff. | These two paintings look very similar to each other. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | brothers and sisters, like family, friends and stuff, bonds and stuff, support each other | be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, in, to |
| Antonyms | - | different, dissimilar |
| Common mistakes | Using in formal contexts., Misplacing the phrase in a sentence., Overusing in conversation. | Confused with 'same' — 'similar' means not exactly the same., Incorrectly used for unrelated things., Using 'similar' with more than two items without clarification. |
| Usage notes | Used casually among friends to express a bond similar to that of brothers; may not be suitable for formal settings. | Use 'similar' when comparing two or more things that share characteristics. Avoid using it for things that are not closely related. |
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Frequently asked questions: Like brothers and stuff vs Similar
What's the difference between Like brothers and stuff and Similar?
Like brothers and stuff: Similar to brothers and similar things. Similar: Almost the same as something else.
Which is more formal: Like brothers and stuff and Similar?
Similar is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Like brothers and stuff and Similar?
Similar is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Like brothers and stuff: They argue sometimes, but they're always friends, like brothers and stuff. Similar: These two paintings look very similar to each other.
Can I use Like brothers and stuff and Similar interchangeably?
Not always. Like brothers and stuff and Similar are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.