likens

present tense third-person singular of liken
1
as in compares
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 identifies
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

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 likens The director likens his own role on the trip to that of Bill, who is slowly driven to madness by worrying about a particular child, the class punching bag Kenneth (Olof Olingdahl). — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026 The company likens Sentry to a security checkpoint outside the OpenShell workspace. — Kelvin Chan, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026 Neveu likens it to how a snowman will appear deformed once the sun's heat begins to melt it. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 27 Sep. 2026 Encore likens bad breakups to immunocompromisation and kicking opiates. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026 Giannetos likens the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Damage-Erasing Balm to a deep salon-level treatment but from the comfort of your own home. — Kim Grundy, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026 Co-author David Paige of the University of California, Los Angeles, likens it to gardening. — CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026 Wickersham says, with only the slightest of chuckles, that every quarterback is something of a sociopath and likens them to politicians in the middle of a race. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026 Oberholzer likens the series to the Ashes, the Australia–England contest that turned a bilateral rivalry into one of sport’s most valuable commercial properties. — Daniel Gallan, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likens
Verb
  • The piece compares the political climate to 2006, when voter frustration with an unpopular Republican president and a Middle East war helped Democrats take both chambers.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Truong compares the platform to a geostationary satellite that is 1,800 times closer and much cheaper, though the company hasn't offered figures to check that.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Xi equates compromise with weakness and has a hard time understanding the give-a-little-to-get-a-little logic that is the heart and soul of diplomacy.
    — Orville Schell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Summary Common perception equates effective leadership with charisma, often ignoring competent but uncharismatic individuals.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Likens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likens. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster