resemble
Americanverb (used with object)
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to be like or similar to.
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Archaic. to liken or compare.
verb
Other Word Forms
- preresemble verb
- resembler noun
- resemblingly adverb
- unresembling adjective
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”; 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.
What emerged didn’t resemble the traditional teen drama playbook.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Looking ahead, they expect the business conditions and economic environment in which they operate to resemble the past year.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026
As the animal decayed hundreds of millions of years ago, its body changed in ways that later made it resemble an octopus when preserved in rock.
From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026
One way prediction markets resemble the old bucket shops is in the democratization of trading.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
We do see vestigial signs of automobiles in our village, but they resemble the signs of life you would dig up in a graveyard if you were inclined to that pastime.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
