liked; liking
1
2
: to wish to have : want
would like a drink
3
: to do well in
this plant likes dry soil
my car does not like cold weather
4
: to electronically register one's approval of (something, such as an online post or comment) for others to see (as by clicking on an icon designed for that purpose)
[Brittany] Bunker then thanked the 477,000 people who had liked her post for their support …—
Natalie Cornish
Natalie CornishHow he picked out this seemingly random user and went ahead and liked the tweet is really surprising …—Zach Pereles
Zach Pereles5
chiefly dialectal
: to be suitable or agreeable to
I like onions but they don't like me
1
: liking, preference
2
: something that one likes
3
: the act or an instance of liking (see like entry 1 sense 4) an online comment, post, etc.
Her post got thousands of likes.
1
a
: the same or nearly the same (as in appearance, character, or quantity)
suits of like design
—formerly used with as, unto, ofit behoved him to be made like unto his brethren—Hebrews 2:17 (King James Version)
Hebrews 2:17 (King James Version)
b
chiefly British
: closely resembling the subject or original
the portrait is very like
2
: likely
the importance of statistics as the one discipline like to give accuracy of mind—H. J. Laski
H. J. Laski1
a
: having the characteristics of : similar to
his house is like a barn
it's like when we were kids
b
: typical of
was like him to do that
c
: comparable to : approximating
costs something like fifty cents
2
: in the manner of : similarly to
acts like a fool
3
: as though there would be
looks like rain
4
: such as
a subject like physics
5
—used to form intensive or ironic phrases
fought like hell
like fun he did
laughed like anything
1
a
: one that is similar : counterpart, equal
have … never seen the like before—Sir Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Churchill
b
: kind sense 1a
—usually used with a preceding possessive
put him and his like to some job—J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien2
: one of many that are similar to each other
—used chiefly in proverbial expressions
like breeds like
1
archaic
: equally
3
a
: to some extent : rather, altogether
saunter over nonchalantly like—Walter Karig
Walter Karig
b
—used interjectionally in informal speech often to emphasize a word or phrase (as in "He was, like, gorgeous") or for an apologetic, vague, or unassertive effect (as in "I need to, like, borrow some money")
4
: nearly, approximately
the actual interest is more like 18 percent
—used interjectionally in informal speech with expressions of measurementit was, like, five feet long
goes there every day, like
1
a
: as if
middle-aged men who looked like they might be out for their one night of the year—Norman Mailer
Norman Mailer
b
—used in intensive phrases
drove like mad
hurts like crazy
2
: in the same way that : as
they raven down scenery like children do sweetmeats—John Keats
John Keats3
a
: in the way or manner that
the violin sounds like an old masterpiece should
did it like you told me
b
—used interjectionally in informal speech often with the verb be to introduce a quotation, paraphrase, or thought expressed by or imputed to the subject of the verb, or with it's to report a generally held opinion
so I'm like, "Give me a break"
it's like, "Who cares what he thinks?"
4
: such as
a bag like a doctor carries
when your car has trouble—like when it won't start
—used interjectionally in informal speechoften stays up late, until like three in the morning
Like vs. as: Usage Guide
Like has been used as a conjunction in ways similar to as since the 14th century. In the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries it was used in serious literature, but not often; in the 17th and 18th centuries it grew more frequent but less literary. It became markedly more frequent in literary use again in the 19th century. By mid-century it was coming under critical fire, but not from grammarians, oddly enough, who were wrangling over whether it could be called a preposition or not. There is no doubt that, after 600 years of use, conjunctive like is firmly established. It has been used by many prestigious literary figures of the past, though perhaps not in their most elevated works; in modern use it may be found in literature, journalism, and scholarly writing. While the present objection to it is perhaps more heated than rational, someone writing in a formal prose style may well prefer to use as, as if, such as, or an entirely different construction instead.
variants
or liked
chiefly dialectal
: came near : was near
so loud I like to fell out of bed—Helen Eustis
Helen Eustis
: resembling or characteristic of
bell-like
ladylike
Phrases
and the like
the likes of
or less commonly the like of
1
: such people as : such things as
reads the likes of Austen and Browning
2
: such a one as and perhaps others similar to
—usually used with disparaging overtones
have no use for the likes of you
3
: the kind or sort of
a fantastic celebration the likes of which had never been seen before—Joseph Heller
Joseph Heller
: probably
Synonyms
Verb
Noun (1)
Adjective
- akin
- alike
- analogous
- cognate
- comparable
- connate
- correspondent
- corresponding
- ditto
- matching
- parallel
- resemblant
- resembling
- similar
- such
- suchlike
Noun (2)
- breed
- class
- description
- feather
- genre
- ilk
- kidney
- kind
- manner
- nature
- order
- sort
- species
- strain
- stripe
- type
- variety
Adverb
- enough
- fairly
- kind of
- kindly [chiefly Southern]
- moderately
- more or less
- pretty
- quite
- rather
- relatively
- something
- somewhat
- sort of
Conjunction
Examples of like in a Sentence
Verb
He likes baseball, but he loves football.
Do you like Mexican food?
I liked the movie a lot more than I thought I would.
I don't know what it is about that guy, but I just don't like him.
They were political allies who truly liked each other.
What is it that you like or dislike about him most?
She says she likes him as a friend but she's not attracted to him.
My boss was a tough guy, but I liked him for his honesty.
Noun (1)
she thought her new boyfriend was unusually interested in her likes and dislikes
Adjective
you're not talking about like things when you compare football and golf
Preposition
The house looks like a barn.
It's like when we were kids.
She's not at all like her sister.
The baby is more like his mother than his father.
“Who is he like?” “He's not like anyone I've ever met before.”
Noun (2)
you can never trust his like, because they'll always let you down
we'd never seen its like in any other shop in town
Adverb
the cat would curl up, tightly like, and just go to sleep
the distance is more like 500 miles
Conjunction
it looks like it's going to rain at any moment
Recent Examples on the WebCasey Cep, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2024
Erin Mansfield: So the RNC, the Republican National Committee and certain affiliates like state committees and some committee members are going pretty much state to state.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2024
On nights spent at home, Cruz likes to have friends over to play Werewolf, a social game not that different from the TV series Traitors.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 28 Apr. 2024
Even manicurist Georgia Rae, who typically likes to keep her nails classic and natural, acknowledges that summer is exactly the right time to have a little fun.
—Lauren Murdoch-Smith, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2024
Clematis will grow best in the full sun; however, the roots like to be shaded.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 27 Apr. 2024
Brennan Jackson, Edge, Washington St., Sr., 6-4, 264 Coaches will probably like the Temecula native more than scouts do.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2024
The overwhelming majority of the people who are protesting, who feel strongly about this issue, do not like Hamas.
—Michael Levitt, NPR, 27 Apr. 2024
This herb's strong smell can repel some of the pests that like to turn okra into a buffet.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2024
Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024
There have been other changes, as well, like a port that Ryder had to get installed to allow doctors easy access during the weekly treatments.
—Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 2 May 2024
But that’s not all—the craziest thing about the Up Airbnb experience is that like the film, the IRL house floats!
—Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 2 May 2024
As major milestones like having a child, buying a house, and retiring all become more pricey, Gen Z has started to lose faith in their ability to get ahead.
—Bychloe Berger, Fortune, 2 May 2024
Fred fell off his horse, grabbed his .35 Magnum, and came charging up to the firing line like a Patton tank.
—Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 2 May 2024
Beyond just larger investment purchases like the Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress -- on sale for under $900 -- there are also deals on kitchen gadgets like the bestselling KitchenAid mixer, which is on sale for under $400.
—Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 2 May 2024
Gyllenhaal, like Rudolph, is hosting for his third time.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 2 May 2024
But for the public, Binder said, there’s a much more practical way to help solve cold cases like Yager’s: donate your genetic information by taking a DNA test offered by a commercial genealogy database.
—Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 3 May 2024
Esthetician, to the likes of Sofia Richie and Kelly Rowland, Shani Darden included.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 3 May 2024
It has been embraced by the likes of the Themed Entertainment Assn., and Meow Wolf’s play-focused, active approach has shifted the industry, encouraging environments with multiple access points that increasingly push guests to lean in and participate.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
Sherill has written for the likes of Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Josh Turner, who is one of a few country stars who’ve seemingly helped promote the song.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2024
Pivoting from Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven series, this spinoff stars the likes of Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, and Rihanna, to name a few.
—Chris Bellamy and Stephanie Kaloi, EW.com, 2 May 2024
The video has struck a nerve and has now racked up 8 million views and 900,000 likes.
—Cnbc, NBC News, 30 Apr. 2024
Among the other nominees and presenters were the likes of Sharon Horgan, Neil Jordan, Jim Sheridan Eve Hewson, Kerry Condon, Pierce Brosnan and Alisha Weir, as were Kneecap, the Irish rap band whose comedy biopic was one of the buzziest titles out of Sundance.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2024
Saturday: Tyler, the Creator is scheduled as the headliner and will be joined by likes of Ice Spice, Sublime, Grimes, Jon Batiste, and Dom Dolla, among others.
—Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
India Espy-Jones, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024
What was traffic like on In-N-Out's first day in Flagstaff?
As of 11:30 a.m., the drive-thru line was an hour and a half long, according to a security and traffic control worker at In-N-Out.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
For a tiny hint of what that’s like, check out his speech when Yes was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2024
The face of the watch isn’t flush like on the Active models, however.
—Brandon Widder, The Verge, 16 Dec. 2023
Jeezy is opening up like never before in a new interview with Nia Long.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023
The trick to wearing glasses that take up half your face is to choose a pair that’s mostly clear—or even better with subtle colored lenses like at Etro or Missoni.
—Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2023
From his relationship with Amber Heard to quietly welcoming a third baby with Grimes, here are some of the most surprising revelations from the new book
Elon Musk is opening up like never before in a new biography that's creating headlines.
—David Chiu, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2023
On the back of each gift card, Best Buy warns customers to never use it for payment outside of Best Buy like for bills, bail or taxes.
—USA TODAY, 23 Aug. 2023
Verb
Haaland likes to say that no one ever asked her to run for office.
—Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2024
Erin Mansfield: So the RNC, the Republican National Committee and certain affiliates like state committees and some committee members are going pretty much state to state.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2024
On nights spent at home, Cruz likes to have friends over to play Werewolf, a social game not that different from the TV series Traitors.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 28 Apr. 2024
Even manicurist Georgia Rae, who typically likes to keep her nails classic and natural, acknowledges that summer is exactly the right time to have a little fun.
—Lauren Murdoch-Smith, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2024
Clematis will grow best in the full sun; however, the roots like to be shaded.
—Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 27 Apr. 2024
Brennan Jackson, Edge, Washington St., Sr., 6-4, 264 Coaches will probably like the Temecula native more than scouts do.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2024
The overwhelming majority of the people who are protesting, who feel strongly about this issue, do not like Hamas.
—Michael Levitt, NPR, 27 Apr. 2024
This herb's strong smell can repel some of the pests that like to turn okra into a buffet.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2024
Preposition
The related liana species, often located in tropical forests of Southeast Asia, are used in traditional medicine to treat diseases like dysentery, diabetes and malaria, according to the report.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024
There have been other changes, as well, like a port that Ryder had to get installed to allow doctors easy access during the weekly treatments.
—Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 2 May 2024
But that’s not all—the craziest thing about the Up Airbnb experience is that like the film, the IRL house floats!
—Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 2 May 2024
As major milestones like having a child, buying a house, and retiring all become more pricey, Gen Z has started to lose faith in their ability to get ahead.
—Bychloe Berger, Fortune, 2 May 2024
Fred fell off his horse, grabbed his .35 Magnum, and came charging up to the firing line like a Patton tank.
—Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 2 May 2024
Beyond just larger investment purchases like the Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress -- on sale for under $900 -- there are also deals on kitchen gadgets like the bestselling KitchenAid mixer, which is on sale for under $400.
—Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 2 May 2024
Gyllenhaal, like Rudolph, is hosting for his third time.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 2 May 2024
But for the public, Binder said, there’s a much more practical way to help solve cold cases like Yager’s: donate your genetic information by taking a DNA test offered by a commercial genealogy database.
—Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Noun
And only a small percentage of what’s on the luxury rental market actually tick the boxes for the likes of Staunton’s clientele: swimming pool, helipad to fly in and out of Paris, and separate accommodation for staff.
—Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 3 May 2024
Esthetician, to the likes of Sofia Richie and Kelly Rowland, Shani Darden included.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 3 May 2024
It has been embraced by the likes of the Themed Entertainment Assn., and Meow Wolf’s play-focused, active approach has shifted the industry, encouraging environments with multiple access points that increasingly push guests to lean in and participate.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
Sherill has written for the likes of Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Josh Turner, who is one of a few country stars who’ve seemingly helped promote the song.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2024
Pivoting from Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven series, this spinoff stars the likes of Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, and Rihanna, to name a few.
—Chris Bellamy and Stephanie Kaloi, EW.com, 2 May 2024
The video has struck a nerve and has now racked up 8 million views and 900,000 likes.
—Cnbc, NBC News, 30 Apr. 2024
Among the other nominees and presenters were the likes of Sharon Horgan, Neil Jordan, Jim Sheridan Eve Hewson, Kerry Condon, Pierce Brosnan and Alisha Weir, as were Kneecap, the Irish rap band whose comedy biopic was one of the buzziest titles out of Sundance.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2024
Saturday: Tyler, the Creator is scheduled as the headliner and will be joined by likes of Ice Spice, Sublime, Grimes, Jon Batiste, and Dom Dolla, among others.
—Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Adverb
How has like been treating you since becoming a mother?
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024
What was traffic like on In-N-Out's first day in Flagstaff?
As of 11:30 a.m., the drive-thru line was an hour and a half long, according to a security and traffic control worker at In-N-Out.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
For a tiny hint of what that’s like, check out his speech when Yes was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2024
The face of the watch isn’t flush like on the Active models, however.
—Brandon Widder, The Verge, 16 Dec. 2023
Jeezy is opening up like never before in a new interview with Nia Long.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023
The trick to wearing glasses that take up half your face is to choose a pair that’s mostly clear—or even better with subtle colored lenses like at Etro or Missoni.
—Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2023
From his relationship with Amber Heard to quietly welcoming a third baby with Grimes, here are some of the most surprising revelations from the new book
Elon Musk is opening up like never before in a new biography that's creating headlines.
—David Chiu, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2023
On the back of each gift card, Best Buy warns customers to never use it for payment outside of Best Buy like for bills, bail or taxes.
—USA TODAY, 23 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'like.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near like
Cite this Entry
“Like.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/like. Accessed 10 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
like
1 of 9 verb
liked; liking
1
: to have a liking for : enjoy
likes baseball
2
: to feel toward : regard
how do you like this weather?
3
: to wish to have : want
would like a drink
4
: to feel inclined : choose
you can leave any time you like
5
: to indicate approval of (as an online post) for others to see (as by clicking on an icon designed for that purpose)
like
2 of 9 noun1
: liking, preference
my likes and dislikes
2
: an instance of liking an online post
like
3 of 9 adjective
: being the same or very nearly the same
two like magnetic poles
suits of like design
like
4 of 9 preposition1
a
: similar to
the house looks like a barn
b
: typical of
it would be just like you to do that
2
: similarly to
acting like a fool
blow it up like a balloon
3
: likely to
looks like rain
4
: such as
a subject like physics
like
5 of 9 noun
: equal entry 2 sense 1
may never see its like again
like
6 of 9 adverb1
: likely entry 2, probably
like as not the cat's under the porch
3
: close to : within a little : nearer
the rate is more like 18 percent
like
8 of 9 helping verb
variants
or liked
chiefly dialect
: came near : was near
I like to have died laughing
-like
9 of 9 adjective combining formˌlīk
: resembling or characteristic of
bell-like
ladylike
Etymology
Verb
Old English līcian "to take pleasure in"
Adjective
Old English gelīc "alike"
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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