Meaning & use
resemble
Last updated
Meaning
verbtransitive
To look like or be similar to another person or thing in appearance, character, or structure.
Grammar: Takes a direct object with no preposition: she resembles her mother, not she resembles to her mother.
Patterns
- resemble someone
- resemble something in something
She strongly resembles her grandmother, especially around the eyes.
The new stadium resembles a giant bowl from above.
The two languages resemble each other in grammar but not in sound.
Word forms
| third person singular | resembles |
|---|---|
| past tense | resembled |
| past participle | resembled |
| -ing form | resembling |
Common combinations
- closely resemble
- The two paintings closely resemble each other.
- strongly resemble
- The twins strongly resemble their father.
- vaguely resemble
- The shape vaguely resembles a fish.
- resemble each other
- The cousins resemble each other in many ways.
- resemble in appearance
- The two birds resemble each other in appearance but not in song.
Synonyms and how they differ
- look like
- Look like is the everyday phrase and refers mostly to appearance, while resemble is more formal and can also mean similarity in character or structure.
- take after
- Take after is only used for a family member who has inherited looks or character, so it is narrower than resemble.
- echo
- Echo suggests that something reminds you of an earlier thing and is not about physical likeness.
- mirror
- Mirror implies a very close or exact match, which is stronger than the general sense of resemble.
Opposites
Word family
- resemblance noun
- a way in which two things look or seem alike
- semblance noun
- an outward appearance of something, often not completely real
- resembling adjective
- looking like something else, as in a rock resembling a face
Commonly confused: resemble or assemble?
resemble vs assemble
Assemble means to put parts together or gather people, while resemble means to look similar; the words differ by only one letter.
Practice
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose one answer.
Resemble takes a direct object with no preposition. The other options add an extra preposition or use the continuous form, which is not normal for this verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “resemble”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.