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.
“We might have different ideologies, but we’re more alike than we are unalike, so maybe somebody who votes blue will identify with someone who votes red and vice versa.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
But at the popular Batu Caves tourist site, visitors and workers alike expressed frustration.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
The world could be looking at a sharp pullback in growth that hits both rich and poor countries alike, according to one scenario included in the fund’s fall projections.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The exchanges include Kalshi, the prediction market whose bets on sports, elections and other events have exploded in popularity with both pros and amateurs alike.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
Maybe Traft and I were more alike than I realized.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
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