liken

lik·en
L1I1K5E1N1
UK/ˈlaɪk(ə)n/US/ˈlaɪkən/

verb

Followed by to or (archaic) unto: to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing; to compare.

“The physics teacher likened the effect of mass on space to an indentation in a sheet of rubber.”

Similar
compareequate
Opposite
contrastunliken
OriginMiddle English liknen ← Old English ġelīċ ← Proto-Germanic *galīkaz →
UncommonScrabble 9
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbliken (third-person singular simple present likens, present participle likening, simple past and past participle likened)

present singular third person likens · participle present likening · participle past likened · past likened · first person past singular likened · archaic present second person singular likenest · past second person singular likened · archaic past second person singular likenedst · present singular third person likens · archaic present singular third person likeneth · past singular third person likened · past plural likened · past subjunctive likened · participle present likening · participle past likened

  1. transitiveFollowed by to or (archaic) unto: to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing; to compare.

    The physics teacher likened the effect of mass on space to an indentation in a sheet of rubber.

    5 more examples

    And vvell may the preacher and plovvman be likened together: Firſt, for their labour in all ſeaſons of the year; for there is no time of the year in vvhich the ploughman hath not ſome ſpecial vvork to do. […] And then they alſo may be likened together for the diverſity of vvorks, and variety of offices that they have to do.

    1548 January 27 (Gregorian calendar), Hugh Latimer, “Sermon IV. By the Reverend Father in Christ Master Hugh Latimer Bishop of Worcester. Preached in the Shrouds at Paul’s Church in London the 18th Day of January, in the Year 1548.”, in The Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God, Master Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester. […], volume I, London: […] J. Scott, […], published 1758, →OCLC, pages 41–42

    In this ſaing S. Auguſtin likeneth the ſacramentes of the olde lavve in reſpect of the ſacramentes of the nevve lavve vnto childrens games, and our ſacramentes he likeneth to the thinges of more profett, vvhich are to be geuen to the ſonnes of God, vvhen they vvaxe of more age, knovvledge, and ripeneſſe.

    1566, Thomas Heskyns, “Proving All Our Sacramentes Generallie to be More Excellent then the Sacramentes of Moyses”, in The Parliament of Chryste Auouching and Declaring the Enacted and Receaued Trueth of the Presence of His Bodie and Bloode in the Blessed Sacrament, […], Antwerp: […] William Silvius […], →OCLC, folio cclxxii, verso

    Me thinkes therefore, that of all of the Græcian Captaines I can liken none ſo vvell vnto him, as Eumenes the Cardian.

    1579, Plutarke of Chæronea [i.e., Plutarch], “The Life of Sertorius”, in Thomas North, transl., The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romaines, […], London: […] Richard Field, →OCLC, page 626

    [T]he Prince broke thy head for lik'ning him to a ſinging man of VVindſor; […]

    c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 79, column 2

    He merited not the Abaſement; vve vvere vvorthy the Damnation. Ah, ah my good Sauiour! A Nethermoſt depth cannot ſincke me lovv enough, ſince thou ſtoop'ſt to a Footſtoole. Thou likenedſt thee to me, I vvill compare me to Nothing: […]

    [1629], Iohn Gaule [i.e., John Gaule], Practique Theories: Or, Votiue Speculations, vpon Iesus Christs Prediction. Incarnation. Passion. Resurrection. […], London: […] [Thomas Cotes] for Iames Bowler, →OCLC, page 141

    Antonyms: contrast, unliken

  2. alsorarereflexivetransitiveChiefly followed by to: to make (oneself, someone, or something) resemble another person or thing.

    Speech is reason's brother, and a kingly prerogative of man, / That likeneth him to his Maker, who spake, and it was done.

    1838, Martin Farquhar Tupper, “Of Speaking”, in Proverbial Philosophy: A Book of Thoughts and Arguments, Originally Treated, London: Joseph Rickerby, […], →OCLC, stanza 1, page 133

    Antonyms: unliken

  3. raretransitiveTo represent or symbolize (something).
  4. intransitiveobsoleteFollowed by to: to be like or resemble; also, to become like.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbFollowed by to or (archaic) unto: to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing; to compare.

Opposite
contrastunliken

verbChiefly followed by to: to make (oneself, someone, or something) resemble another person or thing.

Opposite
unliken

More synonyms by meaning

verbconsider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous

Similar
compareequate
Broader
studyconsider
Also see
compareequate

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*leyg-“like, similar; even, level”
  2. Proto-Germanic*galīkaz“like, similar; equal”
  3. Old Englishġelīċ“like, similar”
  4. Middle Englishliknen“to be comparable; to compare (often disparagingly); to make (someone) equal to another person; to regard (something) as equal to another thing; to regard (something) as likely; to resemble; to take (something) as a substitute; to apply, be adapted or suitable; to tend (to sin)”
  5. Englishliken

From Middle English liknen (“to be comparable; to compare (often disparagingly); to make (someone) equal to another person; to regard (something) as equal to another thing; to regard (something) as likely; to resemble; to take (something) as a substitute; to apply, be adapted or suitable; to tend (to sin)”) [and other forms], from liken (“to be comparable; to compare; to be appropriate; to form”), from lik (“alike, analogous, similar; appropriate, suitable; equal; homogeneous; identical, the same; indicative; likely (to be or do something), probable; possible; simultaneous; more or most like (?)”) + -en (suffix forming infinitives of verbs). Lik is derived from Old English ġelīċ (“like, similar”), from Proto-Germanic *galīkaz (“like, similar; equal”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“like, similar; even, level”). The English word is analysable as like (adjective) + -en (suffix forming verbs with the sense ‘to make [adjective]’).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic شَبَّهَ
  • شَبَّهَ (šabbaha)to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Bulgarian сравнявам
  • сравнявам (sravnjavam)to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Chinese Mandarin 比喻
  • 比喻 (bǐyù)to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Czech přirovnávat, přirovnat
  • přirovnávatto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • přirovnatto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • připodobnitto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Dutch vergelijken
  • vergelijkento regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Finnish verrata, rinnastaa
  • verratato regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • rinnastaato regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • tehdä jonkinlaiseksito make (oneself, someone, or something) resemble another person or thing
French comparer
  • comparerto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
German vergleichen
  • vergleichento regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Indonesian membandingkan, mengumpamakan
  • membandingkanto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • mengumpamakanto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Italian paragonare
  • paragonareto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Japanese たとえる
  • たとえる (tatoeru)to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Polish porównywać, porównać
  • porównywaćto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • porównaćto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Portuguese comparar
  • compararto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Russian сра́внивать, сравни́ть
  • сра́внивать (srávnivatʹ)to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • сравни́ть (sravnítʹ)to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • уподобля́ть (upodobljátʹ)to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • уподо́бить (upodóbitʹ)to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Spanish comparar, asemejar
  • compararto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • asemejarto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Swedish likna, jämföra
  • liknato regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
  • jämförato regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare
Turkish benzetmek
  • benzetmekto regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing — see also compare

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with liken

iconlichenlycan
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

lichenlycan

Anagrams

KleinklineElkinKlieninkleKinel
Cite this entry
APA

liken. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/liken

MLA

“liken.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/liken. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “liken,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/liken.

Source: liken on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.