Word
resemble
Phoneticsre·sem·ble, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹiˈzɛmbəɫ/
UK/ɹɪsˈɛmbəl/
Definitions
01to look like
B1 · Intermediate
v. to look like or be similar to someone or something else.
v. to be similar to or to bear a likeness to another entity in appearance or quality.
“The two brothers resemble each other so much that people often confuse them.”
“The new office complex was designed to resemble a traditional village, featuring narrow walkways and small, separate buildings.”
Antonyms
02to compare
C2 · Proficiency Archaic
v. to say that one thing is like another.
v. to liken or compare one thing to another. This usage is now rare in modern speech.
“The poet resembles the falling snow to the passing of time.”
“In his earlier essays, the philosopher resembles the human mind to a blank slate upon which experience writes.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “resemble” in context.
Verb
01. bear a resemblance to
“The new policy bears a strong resemblance to the one proposed by the previous administration.”
verb + noun + prep
02. fail to resemble the prototype
“The mass-produced version failed to resemble the high-quality prototype shown at the trade fair.”
verb + infinitive
Adverb
03. closely resemble each other
“The two sisters closely resemble each other in both appearance and temperament.”
adv + verb + noun
04. hardly resemble the sketches
“The final building design hardly resembled the initial sketches provided by the architect.”
adv + verb + noun
05. strikingly resemble the original
“The forged painting was so well executed that it strikingly resembled the original masterpiece.”
adv + verb + noun
06. superficially resemble one another
“While these two species superficially resemble one another, they belong to entirely different families.”
adv + verb + noun
Usage
The verb is transitive and does not take a preposition before the object. It is a stative verb and is rarely used in the continuous (-ing) form.
Pitfall
She resembles to her mother
She resembles her mother
Resemble is a transitive verb and takes a direct object without the preposition 'to'.
Real-World Examples
“Prof Ramesh says a CME occurs when these twisting, looping lines - which resemble braided hair - rupture, throwing out massive clouds of magnetised plasma and gas in space.” “Measurements of the exotic body found that while it resembles an immense star, it releases 100bn times more energy than any known star can produce.” “Since Earth is the only planet where we know life exists, it’s natural to assume that exoplanets that resemble it in these respects are the most likely to be habitable.” “Japan's response to AI is beginning to resemble one of the country's slow-moving, traditional Noh plays.” Etymology
From Middle English resemblen, from Anglo-Norman resembler, ressembler, from re- + sembler (“to seem”). By surface analysis, re- + semble.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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