like

[ lahyk ]

/ laɪk /

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See synonyms for: like / liked / likes / liking on Thesaurus.com

adjective, (Poetic) lik·er, lik·est.

of the same form, appearance, kind, character, amount, etc.: I cannot remember a like instance.

corresponding or agreeing in general or in some noticeable respect; similar; analogous: drawing, painting, and like arts.

bearing resemblance.

Dialect. likely or probable: 'Tis like that he's gone mad.

Dialect. about; almost ready, as to perform some action: The poor chap seemed like to run away.

preposition

in like manner with; similarly to; in the manner characteristic of: He works like a beaver.

resembling (someone or something): He is just like his father. Your necklace is just like mine.

characteristic of: It would be like him to forget our appointment.

as if there is promise of; indicative of: It looks like rain.

as if someone or something gives promise of being: She looks like a good prospect for the job.

disposed or inclined to (usually preceded by feel): to feel like going to bed.

similar or comparable to: There is nothing like a cold drink of water when one is thirsty. What was he like?

(used correlatively to indicate similarity through relationship): like father, like son.

(used to establish an intensifying, often facetious, comparison): Last night I slept like a log.They ran like hell down the street.

as; such as: There are numerous hobbies you might enjoy, like photography or painting.

adverb

nearly; closely; approximately: The house is more like 40 than 20 years old.

Informal. likely or probably: Like enough he'll come with us. Like as not her leg is broken.

Nonstandard.

as it were; in a way; somehow: I did it like wrong.
to a degree; more or less: The guy was standing against the wall, looking very tough like.

conjunction

in the same way as; just as; as: It happened like you might expect it would.

as if: He acted like he was afraid. The car runs like new.

noun

a similar or comparable person or thing, or like persons or things; counterpart, match, or equal (usually preceded by a possessive adjective or the): No one has seen his like in a long time. Like attracts like.

kind; sort; type; ilk (usually preceded by a possessive adjective): I despise moochers and their like.

the like, something of a similar nature: They grow oranges, lemons, and the like.

interjection

Informal. (used in speech, often nonvolitionally or habitually, to preface a sentence, to fill a pause, to express uncertainty, or to intensify or neutralize a following adjective): So, like, why didn't you call me? The music was, like, really great, you know?I'm not going out—it's like 10 degrees out there!

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about like

be like, Informal. to say, declare, think, or feel (usually used to introduce reported speech or thought): She's like, “I don't believe it,” and I'm like, “No, it's true!”

like anything, Informal. very much; extremely; with great intensity: He wanted like anything to win.

like to, South Midland and Southern U.S. was on the verge of or came close to (doing something): The poor kid like to froze.Also liked to.

something like, Informal. something approaching or approximating: It looked something like this.

the like / likes of, someone or something similar to; the equal of: I've never seen the like of it anywhere.

Origin of like

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English lic, lik, from Old Norse līkr; replacing Old English gelīc, cognate with Dutch gelijk, German gleich, Old Norse glīkr, Gothic galeiks “like,” literally, “of the same body or form”; see y-, lich

usage note for like

Like1 as a conjunction meaning “as, in the same way as” ( Many shoppers study the food ads like brokers study market reports ) or “as if” ( It looks like it will rain ) has been used for nearly 500 years and by many distinguished literary and intellectual figures. Since the mid-19th century there have been objections, often vehement, to these uses. Nevertheless, such uses are almost universal today in all but the most formal speech and writing. In extremely careful speech and in much formal writing, as, as if, and as though are more commonly used than like : The commanding general accepted full responsibility for the incident, as any professional soldier would. Many of the Greenwich Village bohemians lived as if (or as though ) there were no tomorrow.
The strong strictures against the use of like as a conjunction have resulted in the occasional hypercorrect use of as as a preposition where like is idiomatic: She looks as a sympathetic person.
Like meaning “as if” is also standard in informal speech and writing with a small number of adjectives: The crew worked like crazy (or like mad ) to finish the job on time. See also as.

OTHER WORDS FROM like

liker, noun

Other definitions for like (2 of 3)

like²

[ lahyk ]

/ laɪk /

verb (used with object), liked, lik·ing.

to take pleasure in; find agreeable or congenial: We all liked the concert.

to regard with favor; have a kindly or friendly feeling for (a person, group, etc.); find attractive: His parents like me and I like them.

to wish or prefer: I'd like a piece of cake, please.I like my coffee with milk and sugar.

Digital Technology. to indicate one’s enjoyment of, agreement with, or interest in (website content, especially in social media): Share your posts so your friends can like them or leave a comment.Like us on Facebook to get a free sample.

verb (used without object), liked, lik·ing.

to feel inclined; wish; want: We'll have lunch whenever you like.

Archaic. to suit the tastes or wishes; please.

noun

Usually likes . the things a person likes: a long list of likes and dislikes.

(sometimes initial capital letter)Digital Technology.

an instance of indicating one’s liking of specific website content: I see my comment got lots of likes.
a feature or option, usually a button, that enables this: I installed a Like on my blog so you can subscribe to updates.

adjective

(sometimes initial capital letter)Digital Technology. noting or pertaining to a feature used to like specific website content: a Like button;like boxes.

Origin of like

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb liken, Old English līcian; cognate with Dutch lijken, Old Norse līka; from the same Germanic root as like¹

Other definitions for like (3 of 3)

-like

a suffixal use of like¹ in the formation of adjectives (childlike; lifelike), sometimes hyphenated.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

WORDS THAT USE -LIKE

What does -like mean?

The suffix –like means “like,” in the sense “of the same form, appearance, kind, character, amount, etc.” It is often used in a variety of technical and everyday terms. In some instances, –like is used with a hyphen, as in animal-like.

The suffix –like comes from Middle English lik and is closely related to the suffix –ly.

Examples of -like

An example of a word you may have encountered that features –like is businesslike, “conforming to, attending to, or characteristic of business.”

The element business– here means, naturally, “business.” The suffix –like means “of a character.” Businesslike literally means “in the character of a business” or, put another way, “professional.”

What are some words that use the combining form –like?

catlike
doglike
homelike
jawlike
machinelike
manlike (using the equivalent form of –like in Middle English)
starlike

What are some other forms that –like may be commonly confused with?

-ling
-lith

Break it down!

Given the meaning of the suffix –like, what does machinelike mean?

How to use like in a sentence

So I just patted him kind-like on the shoulder and sat down.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Where these laser-like missiles are falling out of the sky onto a city and you have to stop each of them from hitting the targets?
Coffee Talk with Ethan Hawke: On ‘Boyhood,’ Jennifer Lawrence, and Bill Clinton’s Urinal Exchange|Marlow Stern|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It got so bad, that the school resorted to “Groupon-like services” to fill seats.
Is Any College Football Coach Worth $60 Million? Jim Harbaugh Is|Jesse Lawrence|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Though not in production yet, the high-end heels will be sold through a Tesla-like model.
The Coolest Fashion Innovations of 2014|Raquel Laneri|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He was kept in a dorm-like building, which has also been reported in other allegations.
Beaten By His Church for Being Gay|Justin Jones|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
May looked along at the dimpled grace, And then at the saint-like, fair old face, “How funny!”
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
His strong legs and his broad, spade-like feet helped to make him a fine swimmer.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
The wave-like movement of these animals is particularly graceful and cleverly done.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
These dreamy, Madonna-like beauties are the result of the most severe and protracted study.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
Rarely, sodium urate occurs in crystalline form—slender prisms, arranged in fan- or sheaf-like structures (Fig. 32).
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd

British Dictionary definitions for like (1 of 3)

like¹

/ (laɪk) /

adjective

(prenominal) similar; resembling

preposition

similar to; similarly to; in the manner ofacting like a maniac; he's so like his father

used correlatively to express similarity in certain proverbslike mother, like daughter

such asthere are lots of ways you might amuse yourself — like taking a long walk, for instance

adverb

a dialect word for likely

not standard as it were: often used as a parenthetic fillerthere was this policeman just staring at us, like

be like … informal used to introduce direct speech or nonverbal communicationI was like, ‘You're kidding!’

conjunction

not standard as though; as ifyou look like you've just seen a ghost

in the same way as; in the same way thatshe doesn't dance like you do

noun

the equal or counterpart of a person or thing, esp one respected or prizedcompare like with like; her like will never be seen again

the like similar thingsdogs, foxes, and the like

the likes of or the like of people or things similar to (someone or something specified)we don't want the likes of you around here

Word Origin for like

shortened from Old English gelīc; compare Old Norse glīkr and līkr like

usage for like

The use of like to mean such as was formerly thought to be undesirable in formal writing, but has now become acceptable. It was also thought that as rather than like should be used to mean in the same way that, but now both as and like are acceptable: they hunt and catch fish as/like their ancestors used to. The use of look like and seem like before a clause, although very common, is thought by many people to be incorrect or non-standard: it looks as though he won't come (not it looks like he won't come)

British Dictionary definitions for like (2 of 3)

like²

/ (laɪk) /

verb

(tr) to find (something) enjoyable or agreeable or find it enjoyable or agreeable (to do something)he likes boxing; he likes to hear music

(tr) to be fond of

(tr) to prefer or wish (to do something)we would like you to go

(tr) to feel towards; consider; regardhow did she like it?

(intr) to feel disposed or inclined; choose; wish

(tr) archaic to please; agree withit likes me not to go

noun

(usually plural) a favourable feeling, desire, preference, etc (esp in the phrase likes and dislikes)

Word Origin for like

Old English līcian; related to Old Norse līka, Dutch lijken

British Dictionary definitions for like (3 of 3)

-like

suffix forming adjectives

resembling or similar tolifelike; springlike

having the characteristics ofchildlike; ladylike

Word Origin for -like

from like 1 (prep)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with like

In addition to the idioms beginning with like

like a bat out of hell
like a bump on a log
like a cat on hot bricks
like a champ
like a chicken with its head cut off
like a drowned rat
like a fish out of water
like a house afire
like a lamb to the slaughter
like anything
like a shot
like as not
like as two peas in a pod
like a ton of bricks
like clockwork
like crazy
like death warmed over
like father, like son
like fun
like gangbusters
like greased lightning
like hell
like hot cakes, go
like it or lump it
likely as not
like mad
like nobody's business
like nothing on earth
like pigs in clover
like pulling teeth
like rolling off a log
like shooting fish in a barrel
likes of, the
like something the cat dragged in
like that
like to
like water off a duck's back

also see:

and the like
avoid like the plague
come up (smelling like) roses
crazy like a fox
drink like a fish
drop like flies
Dutch uncle, talk to like a
eat like a bird
feel like
(like a) fish out of water
fit like a glove
fly on the wall, would like to be a
get on (like a house afire)
go out (like a light)
go over (like a lead balloon)
grin like a Cheshire cat
(drop like a) hot potato
just like that
know like a book
live like a king
look like a million dollars
look like death
look like something the cat dragged in
look like the cat that ate the canary
make out like a bandit
manna from heaven, like
mind like a steel trap
need like a hole in the head
no fool like an old fool
not anything like
no time like the present
out like a light
packed in like sardines
sleep like a log
something like
spread like wildfire
stick out (like a sore thumb)
swear like a trooper
take to (like a duck to water)
tell it like it is
treat like dirt
turn up like a bad penny
wail like a banshee
watch like a hawk
work like a beaver
work like a charm

like

Idioms about like

Origin of like

usage note for like

OTHER WORDS FROM like

Other definitions for like (2 of 3)

Origin of like

Other definitions for like (3 of 3)

WORDS THAT USE -LIKE

What does -like mean?

Examples of -like

Break it down!

Words related to like

How to use like in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for like (1 of 3)

Word Origin for like

usage for like

British Dictionary definitions for like (2 of 3)

Word Origin for like

British Dictionary definitions for like (3 of 3)

Word Origin for -like

Other Idioms and Phrases with like