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 Florida native likens the album’s creation to a literal labor of love. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 30 Oct. 2026 Beth George likens early mornings alone working with dough to a spiritual experience. — HubSpot, 30 Oct. 2026 Zaha Hadid Architects principal Patrik Schumacher likens the collection’s élan with that achieved by the masterpieces of Michelangelo and the Renaissance, but reimagined for the 21st century. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026 That’s because the invasive lionfish—flamboyant enough that Bowman likens it to a Mardi Gras drag queen—wasn’t traditionally on the menu. — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026 Frost likens the distinction between conserving a kitchen in place and reconstructing one in a museum to the difference between a musical instrument still being played and one only on display. — Tara Anne Dalbow, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026 Dangerfield likens the four to musical superheroes from a Marvel series. — Christine Terrisse, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Selman likens the project to engineering, and Arabo brought to the assignment a similar level of meticulous seriousness. — Max Berlinger, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026 Vaonis The company likens Atlas to an interchangeable-lens camera. — New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likens
Verb
  • That compares with 23 sitting mayors killed during the previous administration’s six years in office, according to civil society groups.
    — Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • That compares with 61% of all adults and 57% of those 65 and older.
    — Sasha Tuddenham, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • This phrasing equates resistance to the colonization of Palestine with the colonization itself.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Yet in a culture that equates progress with perpetual acceleration, to pause is to risk obsolescence.
    — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Likens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likens. Accessed 6 Nov. 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