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.
"The reaction of people all over Spain - adults and children alike - is that they are fully behind the national team."
From BBC • May 25, 2026
In the wake of rising egg prices, a humble ingredient rose to popularity amongst high-protein enthusiasts and cost-effective consumers alike.
From Salon • May 24, 2026
That structure has led to colorful campaigns to sway institutional and retail shareholders alike during the company’s annual meetings.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
While Roger Federer is depicted as James Bond, in a tux, elegant and wrinkle-free, Nadal is called Rambo, ripped and relentless, brutalizing the ball and opponents alike.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
For me, the watches of that long night passed in ghastly wakefulness; ear, eye, and mind were alike strained by dread: such dread as children only can feel.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
