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

There’s even one resembling a glistening rainbow Nerds Gummy Cluster. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

The slim handle resembles Kidman’s top-handle bag, while the minimalist fold-over flap echoes Vergara’s clutch. — Mariana Best, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2026

The best aspect of the film is the lead performance by Apa, who doesn’t resemble Stewart all that much but conveys his essence and aw-shucks appeal with body language and perfect vocal imitation. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026

Shin said the new air defense missile, first unveiled in November 2025, appears to have a guidance section resembling Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile. — Reuters, NBC news, 5 Nov. 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