like father, like son

Idioms  

1. In the same manner from generation to generation, as in Kevin decided to run for mayor—like father, like son. This ancient proverb has been stated in English in slightly varying versions since the 1300s, sometimes appearing with a counterpart, like mother, like daughter. Thomas Draxe had it in Bibliotheca (1616): “Like father, like son; like mother, like daughter.” Also see chip off the old block; follow in someone's footsteps.

---

Example Sentences

At the end of the day, you come to realize that there's "like father, like son" things and I think obsession was one thing that sort of unites the two of them.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2020

The "like father, like son" pattern goes only so far.

From Time Magazine Archive

Here is another cliche my creative writing teacher would have scoffed at; like father, like son.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

The father was proud of his only scion, and predicted for him a high destiny; and this time the proverb "like father like son" was right.

From The Jew by Kraszewski, Jo?zef Ignacy

They were men, at all events, whatever their faults had been and might be, and they looked at the main things of life in very much the same way, like father like son.

From Adam Johnstone's Son by Crawford, F. Marion (Francis Marion)