resemble
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to be like or similar to.
-
Archaic. to liken or compare.
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
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
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have been resemblingperfect progressive
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has been resemblingperfect progressive
Past
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resembledsimple
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had resembledperfect
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was resemblingprogressive
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were resemblingprogressive
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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:
Architects plan data centers to resemble tech campuses or art museums, rather than bland boxes, in an effort to soothe local opposition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Regarding the tattoo, Platner said he covered up what appeared to resemble the "Totenkopf" - German for "death's head" - used by Nazi forces during World War Two.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
It would be hard for the U.S. soccer team to more closely resemble the architects who founded the country, nor the vision those architects had for their creation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
The researchers identified the cells they were searching for: so called immature neurons, which resemble young neurons that have not yet fully matured.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 3, 2026
In his black suit and stovepipe hat, he didn’t just resemble Mr. Flux in this photo; he was Mr. Flux.
From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles
Scientists have been exploring enzymatic DNA synthesis as a gentler alternative because it uses water and more closely resembles the way living cells naturally build DNA.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
Although Quenda joins a canon of great Sporting wingers, including Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Nani, his former coach believes he most closely resembles Arsenal and England forward Bukayo Saka.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
He stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 250 pounds, boasting a physique that resembles Aaron Judge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
Instead of a budget rampaging out of control, it’s the beasts themselves, particularly Irene, a stunning creation that resembles a glop of marmalade with eyeballs bubbling up to the surface.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
It resembles rotting chicken livers left out in the sun for too long.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
When they returned on Tuesday, they saw "a white van with an individual who resembled the target" and initiated the traffic stop.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Due in part to these unusual countervailing forces, the trading pattern of SpaceX shares has resembled that of a penny stock on the pink sheets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
The crater's circular shape, central peak, and distinctive surrounding fault pattern resembled features seen at known impact sites around the world.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 30, 2026
The next day, she returned and found another face that resembled Soraida's in a new batch of photographs.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
At that time the last Ice Age was drawing to a close in Europe, and the climate between the Alps and Scandinavia resembled that of present-day Siberia or Alaska.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
When Daniel J. Sullivan launched his campaign in May, he did so as plain old “Dan Sullivan,” with a website closely resembling that of the incumbent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
It is drawing up plans for data centers that look more like Silicon Valley tech campuses or art museums, rather than windowless rectangles that neighbors often grouse about resembling prisons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
Whether you were in France, the Sahara Desert or Chile, the sky "would no longer be clear, resembling instead the sky seen in the suburbs of a city," he warned.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
In separate neuronal cultures exposed to conditions resembling those seen in Alzheimer's disease, OLE improved cell survival, suggesting the compound may also directly protect neurons.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026
“I need a pass,” Adrian said in a voice resembling a growl.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
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.
