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 Lipa's legal team argued the unauthorized use of her likeness helped boost sales of Samsung televisions. ABC News, 10 May 2026 Kilcher, 36, filed her complaint Tuesday in California Central District Court and is suing on numerous counts including misappropriation of likeness, invasion of privacy and interfering with possible financial gain. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026 In 2025, Brynwood Partners acquired Chef Boyardee and the firm continues to use the same likeness on Chef Boyardee-brand products, which are all still made in Milton, Pennsylvania. Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026 Kilcher only learned that Cameron used her likeness on social media, when a broadcast interview with the director surfaced online. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 7 May 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
  • Among the Greco-Roman statues uncovered are depictions of deities like Bacchus (god of wine), Asclepius (god of medicine), and Minerva (god of wisdom).
    Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 11 May 2026
  • In 1969, shortly after the landmark Nostra Aetate declaration rejecting longstanding anti-Jewish Catholic doctrine, the Archbishop of Brussels ordered that several paintings be removed and a plaque be mounted to offer context about the remaining depictions.
    Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • Surely there was a time earlier in your life when your financial picture wasn’t so stable.
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2026
  • Lochte had posted a picture of the injection on social media before deleting it.
    Dave Skretta, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 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
  • The couple, who are parents to almost 9-year-old twins Alexander and Ella, shared their pieces of advice for their children, which were at completely different ends of the spectrum.
    Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
  • In 2022, Business Insider reported on documents showing that Musk was the father of twins with Zilis.
    Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 12 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Likeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likeness. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

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