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

Five years earlier, the store Zhongshuge opened in Hangzhou, the former capital of the Southern Song dynasty, had already surprised shoppers with its four distinct sections, the first of which resembles the command deck of a spaceship. —Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025

Whether intentional or not, the specific hue results in a look that resembles a pre-worn Air Force 1, but without the exaggerated scuffs and stains found on the aforementioned Dirty Triple White look. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2025

In Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina, another company is marketing a 31-room floating hotel — resembling a converted barge — with stays from $270 a night. —Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2025

In the Montes de María, where additional Indigenous groups lived, small statuettes of human figures with instruments resembling gaitas (Indigenous flutes) - also known as chuanas - have been found. —Karla Gachet, NPR, 1 Oct. 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