1
as in compares
to describe as similar
he generally likened a root canal to some horrible form of torture
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of likens
In one scene, Edward likens the couple's star-crossed romance to a lion falling in love with a lamb.
—
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Senior commerce editor Nashia Baker likens this pillow to the feeling of a crisp autumn night, cracking your window to get a fresh breeze.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2025
Fazekas likens it to her other show, SVU, which became the new mothership Law & Order series as the flagship procedural.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
Tom Kane, of Harvard University's Center for Education Policy Research, likens these rounds of student achievement data to helpful health checks to see how students are doing.
—Cory Turner, NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Klonoff likens the technology of the time to the Wright brothers’ first aircraft prototypes as compared with today’s jet engines.
—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
Conley likens the hours following a playoff exit to the immediate aftermath of a minor car accident.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2025
Maddock likens losing her long hair to an identity crisis.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 9 Oct. 2025
Roberts likens miners’ struggles to biblical stories, references the power of God and the teachings of Jesus, and speaks in the dynamic cadences found in an Appalachian church.
—The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Senior commerce editor Nashia Baker likens this pillow to the feeling of a crisp autumn night, cracking your window to get a fresh breeze.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2025
Fazekas likens it to her other show, SVU, which became the new mothership Law & Order series as the flagship procedural.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
Tom Kane, of Harvard University's Center for Education Policy Research, likens these rounds of student achievement data to helpful health checks to see how students are doing.
—Cory Turner, NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Klonoff likens the technology of the time to the Wright brothers’ first aircraft prototypes as compared with today’s jet engines.
—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
Conley likens the hours following a playoff exit to the immediate aftermath of a minor car accident.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2025
Maddock likens losing her long hair to an identity crisis.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 9 Oct. 2025
Roberts likens miners’ struggles to biblical stories, references the power of God and the teachings of Jesus, and speaks in the dynamic cadences found in an Appalachian church.
—The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likens
Verb
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Legendary investor Warren Buffett’s favorite market indicator, which compares a measure of the total value of the US stock market to the value of US economic growth, is also flashing a warning sign.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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According to Google, Gemini analyzes data on 250 million places and compares it with Street View images to find the most visible and useful landmarks.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That's because the language of the bill equates universal free fares with policies that instruct bus drivers not to request fares from passengers, which the transit agency implemented in 2022 to make buses safer.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
22 Oct. 2025
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Such pursuits may be the only way to shake off intellectual paralysis—the only way to remember what 2+2 actually equates.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Likens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likens. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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