Meaning & use
liked
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“liked” is a form of “like”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Past tense and past participle of like: found someone or something pleasant or enjoyable.
Grammar: Takes an object: she liked the film.
Patterns
- liked something
- liked doing something
- liked to do something
She liked the soup so much that she asked for the recipe.
He liked playing chess with his grandfather.
We have always liked living near the sea.
verbtransitive
Past tense of like in the sense of wanting or preferring something.
Grammar: Often with to or would: I liked to arrive early.
Patterns
- liked to do something
He liked to sit by the window on the train.
As a child, I liked to read before bed.
They liked their tea strong.
adjectivebefore a noun
Regarded with approval or affection by others.
Grammar: Often as well-liked: a well-liked teacher.
Patterns
- well-liked
She is a well-liked member of the team.
He was widely liked and respected in the village.
The mayor was liked by almost everyone.
Word forms
| base form | like |
|---|---|
| third person singular | likes |
| -ing form | liking |
Common combinations
- liked and respected
- The principal was liked and respected by staff.
- well liked
- He was well liked in the office.
- liked the idea
- They liked the idea of working from home.
- liked a post
- She liked a post from her cousin.
- always liked
- I have always liked jazz.
Synonyms and how they differ
- enjoyed
- Enjoyed stresses pleasure in an experience, while liked can be milder.
- loved
- Loved is much stronger and expresses deep affection or delight.
- admired
- Admired focuses on respecting qualities, not on enjoyment.
- fancied
- Fancied is British and informal, often meaning felt attracted to.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: liked or liked vs would like?
liked vs liked vs would like
Liked refers to past feelings, while would like politely states a present wish.
Practice
When she was a child, she ____ playing in the rain.
Choose one answer.
Liked is the past tense and matches the past time. Would like expresses a wish and does not describe a past habit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “liked”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.