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

At first glance, Grace resembles the type of mothers who have become a dominant cinematic presence in recent years—women portrayed as troubled about being a caregiver. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025

Each BioLife location is built to resemble a private resort rather than a clinical setting, reflecting Jones’s belief that environment plays an essential role in healing and consistency. —Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

The new map would thin out the number of GOP voters, turning it into something that loosely resembles, of all things, an elephant. —Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 6 Nov. 2025

Advertisement As Marissa watches Milo play in the finale’s closing moments, the weight settles into something that resembles peace. —Jp Mangalindan, Time, 6 Nov. 2025

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