likeness

Definition of likenessnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word likeness distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of likeness are analogy, resemblance, similarity, and similitude. While all these words mean "agreement or correspondence in details," likeness implies a closer correspondence than similarity which often implies that things are merely somewhat alike.

a remarkable likeness to his late father
some similarity between the two cases

When is it sensible to use analogy instead of likeness?

In some situations, the words analogy and likeness are roughly equivalent. However, analogy implies likeness or parallelism in relations rather than in appearance or qualities.

pointed out analogies to past wars

When is resemblance a more appropriate choice than likeness?

The words resemblance and likeness are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, resemblance implies similarity chiefly in appearance or external qualities.

statements that bear little resemblance to the truth

When can similitude be used instead of likeness?

The meanings of similitude and likeness largely overlap; however, similitude applies chiefly to correspondence between abstractions.

two schools of social thought showing points of similitude

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of likeness The four-count complaint includes battery, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and unauthorized use of name and likeness. Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026 No longer is pay-for-play limited to the name, image and likeness (NIL) deals that the NCAA and state laws began allowing in 2021. Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2026 Kilmer’s image and likeness were recreated using generative AI for the film with the cooperation of his estate and daughter. Arushi Jacob, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026 And so, players were allowed to profit from the rights to their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Bomani Jones, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for likeness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likeness
Noun
  • Such pairings are one of Wilson’s strengths, his eye for portraiture matched by his skill for arranging images on the page.
    Casey Cep, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
  • The image doesn’t mean the basketball gods have already penciled Dybantsa into Brooklyn’s future.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • The registration desk was a replica of a ticket counter.
    Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
  • Ticket holders who turn out for the early screenings will receive a free, limited-edition replica of the Dustin Hoffman bobblehead from the film, while supplies last.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • The new device bears a striking resemblance to Whoop’s health tracker, featuring a soft fabric band with a battery and sensor pack underneath.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
  • The complaint calls the resemblance deliberate.
    Christopher Harris, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • At a time of intensifying divisions at home, a depiction of Ecuador could offer an Edenic, new-world landscape free from the partisanship tainting Church’s New England landscapes.
    Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Sanchez-Bezos seems to have wanted to send a message through her own look for the night — a Schiaparelli gown riffing off of the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame X, a depiction of a socialite that caused its own scandalous reception.
    Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • The junior shortstop/outfielder drew that picture Monday before Lemont (17-7) had its South Suburban Conference crossover game against Oak Lawn (10-8) postponed due to inclement weather.
    Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
  • As the first block was hoisted, Alemani darted to the railing to take a picture.
    Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • In yet another similarity between fiction and real life, there is a lot of admiration between Anderson and Dearden.
    Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 9 May 2026
  • The golden statue drew criticism over its similarities to the golden calf in the book of Exodus in the Old Testament of the Bible.
    Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 9 May 2026
Noun
  • The Adam Lippes design replaced the cleaner line of the tuxedo with a wider skirt and a more formal portrait neckline, keeping the color restrained while giving the silhouette more volume.
    Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
  • The imagery, made in Haiti, New York, Florida, and her current home of Los Angeles, uses both personal, documentary photographs and more surreal, formal portraits to link Cadet’s personal history to a broader meditation on the Black diasporic experience.
    Elly Fishman, Vogue, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • David Palmer, in his first year as South Elgin’s coach, knew the twins were his type of players early on after taking over.
    Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Wildlife officials say aoudad reproduce far more quickly, often producing twins twice a year.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Likeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likeness. Accessed 10 May. 2026.

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