resemble

verb

re·​sem·​ble ri-ˈzem-bəl 

resembled; resembling ri-ˈzem-b(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to be like or similar to

he resembles his father

2

archaic : to represent as like

Examples of resemble in a Sentence

He strongly resembles his father in appearance and in temperament.

Terrier dogs closely resemble each other.

Recent Examples on the Web

Pancake ice, a type of ice that resembles the breakfast staple, forms in bodies of water in cold weather when waves are still churning the surface. —Melina Khan, USA Today, 23 Jan. 2026

Poway’s Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center is considered a sacred site in part because the rock formations around it resemble animals. —Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026

Witnesses, human rights activists and medical professionals told CNN that security forces unleashed widespread violence over the Iranian weekend of January 8 and 9, turning streets across Iran into what resembled a warzone and pointing to a coordinated armed assault. —Sarah Dean, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026

While Industry depicts the corporate corridors of London’s finance world, the Welsh capital’s city centre repeatedly doubles for the City’s skyscraper landscape, with local streets and buildings dressed to resemble London’s business district. —Chloe Laws, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English resemblen, rasemblen "to be like, compare," borrowed from Anglo-French resembler, rasembler "to be like, appear to be, compare (to)" (also continental Old French), from re- re- + sembler "to look like, seem to be" — more at semblance

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for resemble

• semble
• tremble
• assemble
• dissemble
• disassemble
• reassemble

Kids Definition

resemble

verb

re·​sem·​ble ri-ˈzem-bəl 

resembled; resembling -b(ə-)liŋ 

: to be like or similar to

he resembles his father