Word
like
US/ˈɫaɪk/
UK/lˈaɪk/
Definitions
01to enjoy
v. to enjoy something or find it pleasant.
v. to find agreeable, enjoyable, or satisfactory. Transitive — requires a direct object or an infinitive/gerund complement.
“I really like the new Italian restaurant in the city centre.”
“Most residents seem to like the proposed changes to the park, though a vocal minority remains concerned about the cost.”
Pitfall
I am liking this music.
I like this music.
As a stative verb, 'like' is rarely used in the continuous (-ing) form in standard English.
Synonyms
02social media approval
v. to show you support or agree with a post on the internet by clicking a button.
v. to indicate approval of digital content via a specific interface action.
“Don't forget to like and subscribe if you enjoyed the video.”
“The post was liked by thousands of users within minutes of being published on the platform.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03similar to
prep. similar to something or someone else.
prep. having the same or nearly the same characteristics as another entity.
“She looks just like her mother when she smiles.”
“The fabric feels like silk, but it is actually a highly sophisticated synthetic blend designed for durability.”
Pitfall
Your phone is the same like mine.
Your phone is the same as mine.
Use 'the same as' for identity, but 'like' for similarity.
Synonyms
Antonyms
04for example
prep. used to give examples of something.
prep. introducing a specific instance or instances of a broader category.
“I prefer bright colours, like yellow and orange.”
“The course covers various European languages, like French, German, and Spanish, focusing on conversational skills.”
05preferences
n. the things that you enjoy or prefer.
n. the things that a person finds pleasing or prefers; usually used in the plural.
“We discussed our likes and dislikes regarding the new office design.”
“Understanding the likes of your target audience is essential for any successful marketing campaign.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
06similar people or things
n. a person or thing that is similar to another.
n. a person or thing of the same kind or class as one mentioned.
“We shall never see his like again.”
“The museum houses ancient coins, pottery, and the like, all recovered from the local excavation site.”
Synonyms
07in the same way as
conj. in the same way that something else happens.
conj. used to introduce a clause describing a manner or state; often substituted for 'as' in informal speech.
“No one makes chocolate cake like my grandmother does.”
“He behaves like he owns the place, which irritates the rest of the staff.”
Informal
Synonyms
08alike
adj. having the same qualities.
adj. possessing the same or similar characteristics; often used in the phrase 'of like mind'.
“The two companies have like interests in the energy sector.”
“The project brought together people of like mind who were all committed to environmental conservation.”
Formal
Antonyms
09filler word
part. a word used when you are thinking or to emphasize something.
part. a discourse marker used as a filler, to indicate a paraphrase, or to signal a focus on new information.
“I was, like, so surprised when she told me the news.”
“He was like, 'I can't believe we missed the train,' and I was just standing there in shock.”
Informal · Slang
Usage
Commonly used in speech to fill pauses or before quoting someone.
Teaching tip
Learners should avoid using this in formal writing or professional presentations as it can sound unprofessional.
Collocations
Word family
Idioms
and the like — And other similar items; et cetera.
be like — To say.
built like a brick outhouse — Synonym of built like a brick shithouse.
built like a brick shipyard — Synonym of built like a brick shithouse.
built like a brick shithouse — Of a man, having a muscular body, particularly with well-developed muscles of the chest, arms and abdominals.
do someone like that — to treat someone in a negative manner
face like the back end of a bus — A very ugly face.
fold like a cheap suit — To give up easily; capitulate.
hit like a ton of bricks — To have a sudden and significant emotional impact.
hit like a truck — To hit in an extremely powerful manner; to hit with a lot of force.
Show all 45
I'd like to see someone try — Expressing a threat or challenge to someone.
just like that — Suddenly and unexpectedly; without warning.
like a man possessed — In an energetic or uncontrolled way.
like butter on a bald monkey — Very smooth.
like cheese at fourpence — Of a person: waiting idly or timewasting.
like mother, like daughter — A daughter takes after her mother.
like no other — Very special.
like someone owns the place — In a self-important and domineering manner; self-importantly, arrogantly.
like that — Gay; homosexual.
like the sound of one's own voice — To talk a lot.
like there is no tomorrow — Alternative form of as if there were no tomorrow.
make like a banana and split — To leave, depart.
make like a tree and leave — To leave, depart.
make out like a bandit — To profit greatly; to get an excessively good deal
opinions are like assholes — Everyone has opinions, and most people's opinions are of exceedingly poor quality.
party like it's 1999 — To party intensely, particularly when reckless or pessimistic.
piss like a racehorse — To urinate profusely, especially in reference to a profound need to do so.
play someone like a fiddle — To play (manipulate) (a person) skillfully.
play someone like a violin — To control or manipulate someone, especially by playing on their emotions.
run around like a chicken with its head cut off — To act in a haphazard or aimless way; to act frantically or without control.
sell like hot cakes — To be sold in large numbers quickly.
shake like a leaf — To tremble, as with fear, cold, etc.; to shiver.
smell like a rose — To be regarded as appealing, virtuous, or respectable; to be untainted or unharmed.
smell like a tart's handbag — To smell strongly of perfume.
smoke like a chimney — To smoke tobacco frequently.
something like — approximately
sounds like a plan — Used to indicate agreement with a proposed suggestion.
squint like a bag of nails — To squint very much, as though one's eyes were directed as many ways as the points of a bag of nails.
stuffed like a turkey — Very full from overeating.
talk like an apothecary — To prattle.
tell it like it is — To speak frankly, to convey all and only the truth of a situation.
they don't make them like that anymore — Expressing such notions as that the person referred to is excellent and that owing to the decline of society, such people have become rarer; the old school was better; the youth today lack something that previous generations had more of; all the good ones are taken; and so on.
work like a dog — To work very hard.
work like a dream — To function very efficiently and effectively, with few or no problems.
work like a horse — To work very hard; to toil.
Grammar
For Mandarin speakers
Pronunciation Mandarin lacks a final /k/ plosive; speakers often release the sound with an extra vowel or omit it entirely, resulting in /laɪkə/ or /laɪ/.
Grammar Mandarin marks comparison through the particle 像 (xiàng) or 跟 (gēn)...一样 (yīyàng) without changing verb structure, which leads learners to omit the auxiliary 'do' in questions, producing 'You like me?' instead of 'Do you like me?' or 'You like what?' for 'What do you like?'.
Collocations The Mandarin verb 喜欢 (xǐ huān) covers both 'like' and 'be fond of' and frequently takes a bare verb as an object; this produces 'I like play football' instead of using the gerund 'playing' or the infinitive 'to play'.
For Japanese speakers
Pronunciation Japanese phonology lacks the /l/ and /ɹ/ distinction, using a single alveolar flap /ɾ/ instead. Speakers often replace the initial liquid in 'like' /laɪk/ with this flap, resulting in /ɾaikɯ/.
Grammar Japanese verbs such as 好き (suki) function as quasi-adjectives requiring the particle が (ga) for the object. This often causes learners to use 'like' with 'is' or 'to' (e.g., 'I am like tea' or 'I like to tea') by transferring the L1 adjectival structure.
Collocations The Japanese phrase 気に入る (ki ni iru), meaning to like or be pleased with, literally translates to 'enter the feelings'. This can lead to the non-standard collocation 'like in my heart' or 'take a liking in' when expressing new-found preference.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/like