resemble

verb

re·​sem·​ble ri-ˈzem-bəl 

resembled; resembling ri-ˈzem-b(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to be like or similar to

he resembles his father

2

archaic : to represent as like

Examples of resemble in a Sentence

He strongly resembles his father in appearance and in temperament.

Terrier dogs closely resemble each other.

Recent Examples on the Web

Every belt buckle looks freshly yanked off the rack; every speck of signage resembles something painted 45 minutes before filming commenced that day. — Michael Phillips, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Semaglutide, the synthetic peptide sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, closely resembles the naturally occurring peptide GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide), which helps govern satiety. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026

If this rehabilitation resembles last year’s, Barkov will work for two to three hours a day and then do additional therapy before heading home. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026

Said to resemble an upside-down strawberry, the summit is reached through a moderately strenuous hike that offers great views of the surrounding mountains. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English resemblen, rasemblen "to be like, compare," borrowed from Anglo-French resembler, rasembler "to be like, appear to be, compare (to)" (also continental Old French), from re- re- + sembler "to look like, seem to be" — more at semblance

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for resemble

• semble
• tremble
• assemble
• dissemble
• disassemble
• reassemble

Kids Definition

resemble

verb

re·​sem·​ble ri-ˈzem-bəl 

resembled; resembling -b(ə-)liŋ 

: to be like or similar to

he resembles his father