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
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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
-
By comparison to some of the other crazy requests in pro sports history, Jordan’s was tame.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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The downside of such reliability is that even the smallest miscue seems shocking by comparison.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Shopping around and comparing quotes from several insurers is the best way to find a good deal for you.—
Liz Knueven,Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
11 Apr. 2026
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During that March 18 meeting at a senior center in downtown Vacaville, according to attendees and video reviewed by the Chronicle, anti-Muslim activists handed out white sheets of paper comparing Islam to the Antichrist.—
Connor Letourneau,
San Francisco Chronicle,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This analogy came to life during the flyby, as the astronauts pointed out shades of browns and blues that can help reveal the mineral composition of a feature and its age, NASA said.—
Ava Berger,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The Manhattan Project analogy applied to employee recruitment, too.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 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
-
This is not an equation for Will Hunting.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
9 Apr. 2026
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There is no evidence that this equation has changed despite Xi’s rapid growth of his air force and navy—these are insurance policies.—
Michael Sheridan,
Vanity Fair,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Likening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likening. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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