resemblance

noun

re·​sem·​blance ri-ˈzem-blən(t)s 

1

a

: the quality or state of resembling

especially : correspondence in appearance or superficial qualities

b

: a point of likeness : similarity

2

: representation, image

3

archaic : characteristic appearance

4

obsolete : probability

Synonyms

• common denominator
• commonality
• congruity
• correspondence
• parallel
• similarity
• similitude

Choose the Right Synonym for resemblance

likeness, similarity, resemblance, similitude, analogy mean agreement or correspondence in details.

likeness implies a closer correspondence than similarity which often implies that things are merely somewhat alike.

a remarkable likeness to his late father

some similarity between the two cases

resemblance implies similarity chiefly in appearance or external qualities.

statements that bear little resemblance to the truth

similitude applies chiefly to correspondence between abstractions.

two schools of social thought showing points of similitude

analogy implies likeness or parallelism in relations rather than in appearance or qualities.

pointed out analogies to past wars

Examples of resemblance in a Sentence

He doesn't look exactly like his father, but there is some resemblance.

There is no resemblance between her and her sister.

Recent Examples on the Web

In fact, Brody had been in California at the time, and this misinformation was based on nothing more than the slightest resemblance between Brody and the individual at the event. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024

The quick reaction of Adidas and the German federation, to the design problem over Easter came after social media users started discussing the resemblance between the No. 44 and the Nazi emblem, and after several newspapers, including the powerful tabloid Bild, reported on the issue. —Christopher F. Schuetze, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024

The life Meyer leads today — with her husband and kids, Ashley, 23, Autumn, 20, Robert, 19, and Maddy, 15 — bears little resemblance to her tumultuous early life. —Johnny Dodd, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024

Even the most comparable of the UN entities, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), bears little resemblance. —Jonathan Lincoln, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2024

The war Israel is actually fighting in Gaza bears little resemblance to that brutal and far from perfect, but necessary, campaign. —Phil Klay, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024

The scenario the show ultimately posits bears little resemblance to traditional sci-fi fare; the aliens are coming, but not for another four hundred years, putting humanity on notice for an encounter—and possibly a war—that’s many lifetimes away. —Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024

That resemblance was often noted when observers called the state the ultimate bellwether. —Ron Elving, NPR, 23 Mar. 2024

Zhi Li noticed an intriguing resemblance between a property of quantum error-correcting codes and a property of aperiodic tilings that has the same name. —Ben Brubaker, WIRED, 17 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English resemblaunce, rassemblaunce "likeness, similarity, appearance, image," borrowed from Anglo-French resemblaunce "outward appearance, likeness, similarity," from resembler "to be like, resemble" + -aunce -ance

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing resemblance

• bear a resemblance
• close resemblance
• family resemblance

Kids Definition

resemblance

noun

re·​sem·​blance ri-ˈzem-blən(t)s 

1

a

: the quality or state of resembling : similarity

b

: a point of likeness

2

: representation sense 1