as in comparison
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in comparing
to describe as similar
he generally likened a root canal to some horrible form of torture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in equating
to regard or represent as equal or comparable
I think that we can liken the two pianists, at least in terms of natural talent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of likening
Pete Sweeney
june 4, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
The gathering is sometimes called Russia’s Davos, likening it to the World Economic Forum held in Switzerland.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
It is sometimes called Russia’s Davos, likening it to the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
Following the video's release, over 75,000 people signed a White House petition calling for an investigation, likening the language used in the video to Nazi Germany's attacks on Jews.
—Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
After reading your recent diatribe likening Bo Nix’s ankle, Cale Makar’s shoulder and Nathan MacKinnon’s knee to a Billy Goat-esque jinx, my fingers almost fell off from playing the world’s smallest violin for hours on end.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
But some mathematicians are likening their work to a similar mathematical revolution that took place in the 1950s and ’60s — when Alexander Grothendieck reimagined the field of algebraic geometry in accordance with category theory, vastly extending its reach and power.
—Konstantin Kakaes, Quanta Magazine, 20 May 2026
All of this only adds to conviction in AI, but also has some investors with long memories likening the current period to the late 1990s when the stock market boomed thanks to internet investment before the bubble eventually burst in 2000.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 8 May 2026
His supporters touted video of Stevens being booed at the convention, only to watch other Democrats openly resent the disruption — likening it to activists on the left who refused to vote for Democratic nominees in 2016 and 2024.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
When speaking about the departures of McDuffie, Watson, Bryan Cook and Leo Chenal, Spagnuolo grew somewhat emotional, likening them to his own sons.
—Pete Sweeney
june 4, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
The gathering is sometimes called Russia’s Davos, likening it to the World Economic Forum held in Switzerland.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
It is sometimes called Russia’s Davos, likening it to the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
Following the video's release, over 75,000 people signed a White House petition calling for an investigation, likening the language used in the video to Nazi Germany's attacks on Jews.
—Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
After reading your recent diatribe likening Bo Nix’s ankle, Cale Makar’s shoulder and Nathan MacKinnon’s knee to a Billy Goat-esque jinx, my fingers almost fell off from playing the world’s smallest violin for hours on end.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
But some mathematicians are likening their work to a similar mathematical revolution that took place in the 1950s and ’60s — when Alexander Grothendieck reimagined the field of algebraic geometry in accordance with category theory, vastly extending its reach and power.
—Konstantin Kakaes, Quanta Magazine, 20 May 2026
All of this only adds to conviction in AI, but also has some investors with long memories likening the current period to the late 1990s when the stock market boomed thanks to internet investment before the bubble eventually burst in 2000.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 8 May 2026
His supporters touted video of Stevens being booed at the convention, only to watch other Democrats openly resent the disruption — likening it to activists on the left who refused to vote for Democratic nominees in 2016 and 2024.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likening
Noun
-
The streets of Soho are quiet in comparison to the hordes of shoppers on Regent Street.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
But that’s made even worse by the fact that a significant portion of these observational studies did not even have a comparison group.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
After testing against other economic variables that may have contributed to higher costs, and comparing housing activity in high-fraud ZIP codes to low-fraud ones in the same county, the researchers found illegitimate PPP loans to be one of the core drivers of housing prices.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Previously comparing Ebony to Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth, Coleman says the comparison only goes so far.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
In a popular analogy, the fabric of space-time is like the flat expanse of a mattress, and a massive object like a star is like a bowling ball sitting on top.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
3 June 2026
-
But these are not normal times, and the historical analogy does not hold.—
David S. Cohen,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Contemporary theories of consciousness generally attempt to bridge this gap by equating consciousness with some measurable, physical property of the brain.—
Conor Feehly,
Big Think,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The administration reframes the drug war as military conflict, equating cartels to terrorist groups like ISIS and prioritizing lethal force over law enforcement.—
Joshua Goodman,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Because the shadow already brought a bold touch to her head-to-toe aesthetic, Streicher left eyeliner out of the equation, opting for a generous coat of mascara instead.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
4 June 2026
-
Add nature to the equation and the benefits multiply.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Likening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likening. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
