Meaning & use
to like something
Last updated
UK/tə laɪk ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
US/tə laɪk ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
Meaning
phrasetransitive
To enjoy or feel positively about something.
Grammar: Followed by a noun or pronoun: like something.
Patterns
- like something
- like doing something
- like to do something
I like chocolate.
She likes reading before bed.
They like to travel during the summer.
Common combinations
- like very much
- I like this song very much.
- like a lot
- He likes pizza a lot.
- really like
- They really like their new teacher.
Synonyms and how they differ
- enjoy
- Often used for activities and experiences; 'enjoy' is slightly more formal and is not used with 'to do' in the same way.
- love
- Stronger than 'like'; it means you like something very much.
- be fond of
- A more formal or British way to say you like someone or something.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: to like something or like (preposition)?
to like something vs like (preposition)
Do not confuse the verb 'like' (to enjoy) with the preposition 'like' (similar to). For example, 'She runs like the wind' uses the preposition.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
After 'like', you can use the -ing form (like swimming) or the to-infinitive (like to swim). The other options are grammatically incorrect.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to like something”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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