Dictionary

resemble en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɹəˈzembəl/ (New-Zealand)
• (UK) audio
• [ɹəˈzembl̩] (New-Zealand)
• /ɹɪˈzɛmbəl/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɹɪˈzembəl/ (Australia)
• [ɹɪˈzɛmbl̩] (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• [ɹɪˈzembl̩] (Australia)

Etymology

From Middle English resemblen, from Anglo-Norman resembler, ressembler, from re- + sembler (“to seem”). By surface analysis, re- + semble.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To be like or similar to (something); to represent as similar.
   • Using modeling simulations, they determined the most likely scenario was that the object is powered by a central black hole surrounded by a cocoon of gas that makes it resemble a star. 2026 August 12, “Newly discovered "black hole star" could solve mystery of strange red dots spotted in the early universe”, in CBS News, archived from the original on 12 Aug 2026:
   • He turned back to the scene before him and the enormous new block of council dwellings. The design was some way after Corbusier but the block was built up on plinths and resembled an Atlantic liner swimming diagonally across the site. 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
   • The twins resemble each other.
   • But what you've just described does resemble a person of that kind. 2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 230b:
2. (archaic, transitive) To compare; to regard as similar, to liken.
   • And th'other all yclad in garments light, / Discolour'd like to womanish disguise, / He did resemble to his Ladie bright [...]. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
3. (obsolete, transitive) To counterfeit; to imitate.
   • They can so well resemble mans speech. 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “(please specify |book=I to XXXVII)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], (please specify |tome=1 or 2), London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC:
4. (obsolete, transitive) To cause to imitate or be like; to make similar.
   • they resemble themselves to the swans 1881, Horace Bushnell, Building Eras in Religion:
   • And ſince we all haue ſuckt one wholſome aire, And with the ſame proportion of Elements, Reſolue, I hope we are reſembled, Uowing our loues to equall death and life, […] c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vi:

Forms

Antonyms

connaturalize · differ · standardise · normalize · assimilate

Deriveds

resemblingly · resemblance · unresemble · I resemble that remark

Synonyms

recall · smack of · resemble · mirror · look like · favor · duplicate

Translations (103)

mi kāhukahuka (to be like or similar to something else) · fa مانستن (to be like or similar to something else) · tr benzemek (to be like or similar to something else) · sh sličiti (to be like or similar to something else) · mi āhuahua (to be like or similar to something else) · rm samagliear (to be like or similar to something else) · sc assemizare (to be like or similar to something else) · nrf r'semblier (to be like or similar to something else) · da ligne (to be like or similar to something else) · mi āhukahuka (to be like or similar to something else) · ko 같다 (to be like or similar to something else) · cs podobat se (to be like or similar to something else) · ca semblar (to be like or similar to something else) · alt ошкоор (to be like or similar to something else) · sc assimizare (to be like or similar to something else) · pl przypomnieć (to be like or similar to something else) · it assomigliare (to be like or similar to something else) · cs připomínat (to be like or similar to something else) · sk podobať sa (to be like or similar to something else) · sq ngjaj (to be like or similar to something else) · is líkjast (to be like or similar to something else) · vec somejar (to be like or similar to something else) · fur someâ (to be like or similar to something else) · gl asemellar (to be like or similar to something else) · la similō (to be like or similar to something else) · da minde om (to be like or similar to something else) · no likne (to be like or similar to something else) · ar مَاثَلَ (to be like or similar to something else) · fa شباهت داشتن (to be like or similar to something else) · nl gelijken op (to be like or similar to something else) · ja 似ている (to be like or similar to something else) · ru быть похо́жим (to be like or similar to something else) · pt semelhar (to be like or similar to something else) · ru походи́ть (to be like or similar to something else) · fr ressembler à (to be like or similar to something else) · ga is cosúil le (to be like or similar to something else) · es semblar (to be like or similar to something else) · de gleichen (to be like or similar to something else) · rm sumaglier (to be like or similar to something else) · sc assimbillai (to be like or similar to something else) · sc aerai (to be like or similar to something else) · egy t-w&t-A53-Y1V (to be like or similar to something else) · cmn 相似 (to be like or similar to something else) · vec somegiar (to be like or similar to something else) · ug ئوخشىماق (to be like or similar to something else) · hu hasonlít (to be like or similar to something else) · sc assimbigiai (to be like or similar to something else) · rm sumagliar (to be like or similar to something else) · no minne om (to be like or similar to something else) · eo simili (to be like or similar to something else) · sv likna (to be like or similar to something else) · qu rikch'akuy (to be like or similar to something else) · ms serupa (to be like or similar to something else) · uk бу́ти поді́бним (to be like or similar to something else) · be быць падо́бным (to be like or similar to something else) · ota اوخشامق (to be like or similar to something else) · ms macam (to be like or similar to something else) · it somigliare (to be like or similar to something else) · ar شَبِهَ (to be like or similar to something else) · scn assimigghiari (to be like or similar to something else) · lb gläichen (to be like or similar to something else) · ru име́ть схо́дство (to be like or similar to something else) · kmr lê çûn (to be like or similar to something else) · az bənzəmək (to be like or similar to something else) · az oxşamaq (to be like or similar to something else) · ota بكزهمك (to be like or similar to something else) · it rassomigliare (to be like or similar to something else) · bg приличам (to be like or similar to something else) · sc atipizare (to be like or similar to something else) · tr okşamak (to be like or similar to something else) · rm sumiglier (to be like or similar to something else) · ko 닮다 (to be like or similar to something else) · ms sebiji (to be like or similar to something else) · ms sebijik (to be like or similar to something else) · uk бу́ти схо́жим (to be like or similar to something else) · es resemblar(se) a (to be like or similar to something else) · it arieggiare (to be like or similar to something else) · ru напомина́ть (to be like or similar to something else) · sc agghentinare (to be like or similar to something else) · sc simizare (to be like or similar to something else) · lmo someià (to be like or similar to something else) · ro semăna (to be like or similar to something else) · fi muistuttaa (to be like or similar to something else) · kum ошамакъ (to be like or similar to something else) · vec somiar (to be like or similar to something else) · gl semellar (to be like or similar to something else) · ms menyerupai (to be like or similar to something else) · pt assemelhar-se a (to be like or similar to something else) · sc simbilai (to be like or similar to something else) · nl lijken op (to be like or similar to something else) · kmr şibîn (to be like or similar to something else) · pl być podobnym (to be like or similar to something else) · el μοιάζω (to be like or similar to something else) · rm semegliar (to be like or similar to something else) · sq shëmbëllej (to be like or similar to something else) · rm sumegliar (to be like or similar to something else) · ko 비슷하다 (to be like or similar to something else) · oc semblar (to be like or similar to something else) · egy n-H-Hr:r (to be like or similar to something else) · pl przypominać (to be like or similar to something else) · kmr mînîn (to be like or similar to something else) · de ähneln (to be like or similar to something else) · izh voittiissa (to be like or similar to something else)