resemble

verb

re·​sem·​ble ri-ˈzem-bəl 

resembled; resembling ri-ˈzem-b(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to be like or similar to

he resembles his father

2

archaic : to represent as like

Examples of resemble in a Sentence

He strongly resembles his father in appearance and in temperament.

Terrier dogs closely resemble each other.

Recent Examples on the Web

Each program resembles a sort of wellness bootcamp with consultations and treatments scheduled hour after hour. —Laurie Werner, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

But the moon’s wild volcanic activity wasn’t detected until Voyager 1 flew by Jupiter and its moons in 1979, revealing Io’s dynamic surface that resembled a pepperoni pizza, Bolton said. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024

The Directors’ Cut version of the video resembles a mini-documentary with interview clips and photos that span Van Dyke’s decades-long career as an actor and comedian. —Renée Onque, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024

This is particularly apparent in Pearce’s Harrison Lee Van Buren, who, with his tawny skin and bristly mustache, resembles nothing so much as a lion ready to pounce. —Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English resemblen, rasemblen "to be like, compare," borrowed from Anglo-French resembler, rasembler "to be like, appear to be, compare (to)" (also continental Old French), from re- re- + sembler "to look like, seem to be" — more at semblance

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

resemble

verb

re·​sem·​ble ri-ˈzem-bəl 

resembled; resembling -b(ə-)liŋ 

: to be like or similar to

he resembles his father