alike
Americanadverb
-
in the same manner or form; similarly.
They treated all customers alike.
- Antonyms:
- differently
-
to the same degree; equally.
All three were guilty alike.
adjective
adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of alike
First recorded before 950; Middle English alyke, from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse ālīkr, cognate with Old English onlīc, Old High German analīh; replacing Middle English ilich, Old English gelīc, cognate with Old Saxon gilīk, Old High German gilīh ( German gleich ), Gothic galeiks, Old Norse (g)līkr; see like 1
Explanation
If two things are alike, they resemble or are similar to each other. You and your sister might be alike in many ways, including your love for strawberry ice cream. If all the houses in your neighborhood look alike, it's hard to tell one from another, and if their parents always dress twin brothers alike, it's going to be impossible for people to remember who's who. Things that are alike are the same. The original form of the word was aliche, from the Old English gelic, "similar," with a Germanic root, which it shares with the word like.
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.
While critics were less enthused about “Euphoria’s” third season compared with its first two, Zendaya’s performance was viewed more favorably by fans and critics alike.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
The Tartan Army's coronation of statues in Boston baffled locals and global audiences alike, however the practice has divided opinion at home.
From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026
It is also used by Democrats and Republicans alike for political conventions and events: Marilyn Monroe famously performed her legendary rendition of "Happy Birthday" for then president John F. Kennedy at a 1962 fundraiser.
From Barron's • Jul. 1, 2026
“This extra money and these choices send a clear signal to our allies and our adversaries alike: Britain is stepping up on security.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026
We are both Black, but we don’t look anything alike.
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
Definitions 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.
