as in comparison
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1
as in comparing
to describe as similar
he generally likened a root canal to some horrible form of torture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in equating
to regard or represent as equal or comparable
I think that we can liken the two pianists, at least in terms of natural talent
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of likening
Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
The backlash quickly gained traction online, with some comparing the event to the infamous Fyre Festival and others likening it to the viral Glasgow debacle, Willy’s Chocolate Experience.
—Grace Bellinghausen, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
The Better Cotton Initiative, the world’s largest sustainable cotton scheme, has employed the method since its inception, likening it to renewable energy credits.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 26 Mar. 2026
Medsger said political leaders and the public alike were shocked to learn about the FBI’s surveillance of Black Americans, likening the bureau to the East German Stasi.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
And xAI founder Elon Musk believes that traditional work will be completely voluntary in the next 10 to 15 years thanks to the new tools, likening jobs to a hobby.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026
Contributor Kelsey Borovinsky tested the full Hästens bed and bed linens system back in 2023, likening the experience to a symphony.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 13 Mar. 2026
The inclusion of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten rounded out the trio of legendary French talents that Senbahar recruited, likening each facet of the project to an artist’s blank canvas.
—Jenna Adrian-Diaz, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026
And a week ago, Dario Amodei—the CEO of Anthropic, and Altman’s chief rival—made a similar analogy, likening the training of AI models to human evolution and day-to-day learning.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
Baumgartner sees potential for both to co-exist locally, likening it to how beer used to be available.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
The backlash quickly gained traction online, with some comparing the event to the infamous Fyre Festival and others likening it to the viral Glasgow debacle, Willy’s Chocolate Experience.
—Grace Bellinghausen, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
The Better Cotton Initiative, the world’s largest sustainable cotton scheme, has employed the method since its inception, likening it to renewable energy credits.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 26 Mar. 2026
Medsger said political leaders and the public alike were shocked to learn about the FBI’s surveillance of Black Americans, likening the bureau to the East German Stasi.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
And xAI founder Elon Musk believes that traditional work will be completely voluntary in the next 10 to 15 years thanks to the new tools, likening jobs to a hobby.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026
Contributor Kelsey Borovinsky tested the full Hästens bed and bed linens system back in 2023, likening the experience to a symphony.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 13 Mar. 2026
The inclusion of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten rounded out the trio of legendary French talents that Senbahar recruited, likening each facet of the project to an artist’s blank canvas.
—Jenna Adrian-Diaz, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026
And a week ago, Dario Amodei—the CEO of Anthropic, and Altman’s chief rival—made a similar analogy, likening the training of AI models to human evolution and day-to-day learning.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likening
Noun
-
For comparison, the 2017 Women’s March, another anti-Trump protest at the state Capitol, drew anywhere from 90,000 to 100,000 people, with a crowd extending from the Capitol to Cathedral Hill.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
30 Mar. 2026
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By comparison, SpaceX crewed launches in the 2023 timeframe attracted between 100,000 and 150,000 visitors per opportunity, generating as much as $30 million apiece for the economy.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The article also said that, comparing babies fed the liquid with those fed the powder, the study observed no difference in the incidence of NEC.—
David Hilzenrath,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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In addition to comparing chatbot and Reddit responses, the researchers conducted experiments observing about 2,400 people communicating with an AI chatbot about their experiences with interpersonal dilemmas.—
Matt O'Brien,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Middle managers is another analogy that comes up often.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
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As Trump fumbles with the Pandora’s Box he’s broken open, there’s no shortage of historical analogies to choose from.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Contemporary theories of consciousness generally attempt to bridge this gap by equating consciousness with some measurable, physical property of the brain.—
Conor Feehly,
Big Think,
10 Mar. 2026
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The administration reframes the drug war as military conflict, equating cartels to terrorist groups like ISIS and prioritizing lethal force over law enforcement.—
Joshua Goodman,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Capital is only stranded on one side of the equation.—
Daren Smith,
IndieWire,
1 Apr. 2026
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So Jaguar decided to change the equation, and the ensuing polarizing response was exactly what the company was looking for, at least to hear Jaguar tell it.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Likening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likening. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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