1
as in compared
to describe as similar
he generally likened a root canal to some horrible form of torture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in identified
to regard or represent as equal or comparable
I think that we can liken the two pianists, at least in terms of natural talent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of likened
Gita Gopinath, former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), likened the difference between a patient suffering from chronically high cholesterol versus someone who experiences an actual heart attack.
—
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Captain Zach Bowman likened the truck’s build to a tractor trailer, only with an extra driver in the back.
—Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2026
Nike executive Gentry Humphrey, who’s currently the vice president of Jordan footwear, likened the look to that of a snake — specifically the highly venomous black mamba.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
De la Cretaz likened the effort to crowd funding, and added that women athletes tend to be far more under-resourced than men.
—Neda Ulaby, NPR, 24 Feb. 2026
The Cornyn camp has spent tens of millions, so much so that Hunt likened it to a Powerball jackpot.
—Gromer Jeffers Jr, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026
Two editors even separately likened it to mayo.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
Lloyd, who was an assistant for 20 years at Gonzaga before being hired at Arizona, likened Houston’s success under Sampson to the dominance of the Bulldogs under coach Mark Few.
—ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Legend has it that early Mormon settlers likened its branches to arms outstretched in prayer and named it after the biblical figure, Joshua.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Captain Zach Bowman likened the truck’s build to a tractor trailer, only with an extra driver in the back.
—Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2026
Nike executive Gentry Humphrey, who’s currently the vice president of Jordan footwear, likened the look to that of a snake — specifically the highly venomous black mamba.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
De la Cretaz likened the effort to crowd funding, and added that women athletes tend to be far more under-resourced than men.
—Neda Ulaby, NPR, 24 Feb. 2026
The Cornyn camp has spent tens of millions, so much so that Hunt likened it to a Powerball jackpot.
—Gromer Jeffers Jr, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026
Two editors even separately likened it to mayo.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
Lloyd, who was an assistant for 20 years at Gonzaga before being hired at Arizona, likened Houston’s success under Sampson to the dominance of the Bulldogs under coach Mark Few.
—ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Legend has it that early Mormon settlers likened its branches to arms outstretched in prayer and named it after the biblical figure, Joshua.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likened
Verb
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In fact, overall crime in Beverly Hills was down 17% at that point in 2020 compared with the year before, according to the emails.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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In his post on Tuesday, the governor compared the case of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who is serving a nine-year prison sentence, to that of a former state lawmaker who was recently sentenced to probation and community service after being convicted of one of the same crimes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The city’s new approach is a radical break with more than a decade of planning, when redevelopment was equated with building luxury hotels for tourists.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
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Emmanuel Macron equated territorial sovereignty with the rights of the French to police their own misinformation and democracy.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Likened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likened. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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