resemble
Americanverb (used with object)
-
resembles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
resembled,
past participle, past
-
resembling
present participle
-
to be like or similar to.
-
Archaic. to liken or compare.
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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resemblesimple
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resemblessimple
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have resembledperfect
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has resembledperfect
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am resemblingprogressive
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are resemblingprogressive
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is resemblingprogressive
-
have been resemblingperfect progressive
-
has been resemblingperfect progressive
Past
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resembledsimple
-
had resembledperfect
-
was resemblingprogressive
-
were resemblingprogressive
-
had been resemblingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of resemble
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English resemblen, from Middle French resembler, Old French, from re- re- + sembler “to seem, be like” (from Latin similāre, derivative of similis “like”; see similar)
Explanation
Have you noticed that many pet owners resemble their pets? Or is it that pets resemble their owners? Either way, it’s downright strange how they often look alike. Derived from the old French word sembler, “to appear,” the verb resemble can imply a whole spectrum of likeness. For example, you might closely resemble your schnauzer or, hopefully, only vaguely resemble each other. It’s not just about appearance, either. This concept can include all kinds of characteristics. Two companies can resemble each other and the same could be said of two philosophies.
Vocabulary lists containing resemble
List 2
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"The Ravine," Vocabulary from the short story
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Holes
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Occasionally, the blunt-headed whale seems to resemble Brolin himself.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
In particular, the ratios of these elements in a disk are expected to resemble those measured in its central star.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
The shoes are known for their clean design, lightweight feel and unmistakable soles, including some with those hollow pods that resemble a toothy smile.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
They come in all shapes and sizes; some resemble a hockey-puck-like disc, while others look more like a rod.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
“But only the dead ones know you resemble your father. That you are ‘a son of the sun,”’ said Vikus.
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
Meghnad S., a 36-year-old content creator, is on a mission that resembles a crowd-sourced rescue service.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
This city of 350,000 resembles an oil-industry graveyard.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Trapped in this stiffer, earlier incarnation, the only acting Strong is able to do is poke his head straight up from his shoulders until he resembles a retractable pen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
His every motive feels ulterior, and his inevitable simmering romance with Lowen resembles a can of worms that could pop open at any moment.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026
“Perhaps she resembles some distant relative,” other family members had started to say.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
In 2024, the actor threatened legal action against OpenAI after the company released its voice assistant — known as Sky — for ChatGPT, which she alleged resembled her voice without her consent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Perhaps states thought lethal injection would fare better in court because it resembled a familiar medical procedure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
On the surface, it seems like harmless video game humor, and I’m sure we’ve all had encounters with actual humans that resembled interacting with tautological machines programmed with limited responses.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026
An anonymous account, whose picture resembled a "Jujutsu Kaisen" character dubbed by Tsuda, posted the videos in question.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
If the Mutual resembled a government for African-Americans in the new century, then C. C. Spaulding served as its head of state.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
But when activated in immune cells, it can take on the opposite role, resembling Anakin Skywalker's return to the light and helping destroy the disease instead.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Huang's "defence of CoreWeave's financial position was enough to pull the NeoCloud complex off the floor, drag AI equities higher and give the broader market something resembling a pulse", wrote SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
AI slop has begun appearing on restaurant menus, signs and advertisements, offering food imagery that looks optimized for appetite without necessarily resembling anything a person could cook.
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026
Writer-director Reed Van Dyk’s feature debut navigates tricky emotional waters but emerges as a trenchant examination of what forgiveness and penitence can look like, allowing no room for anything resembling a pat happy ending.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Madison lunged forward, her face resembling a spray-tanned fist.
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
