LIKEN Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

liken

verb

ˈlī-kən

Definition of liken

as in to compare

to describe as similar he generally likened a root canal to some horrible form of torture

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

contrast

as in to equate

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 liken Other Reddit users likened Muse to OpenAI’s infamous GPT-4o, an AI model that users overwhelmingly formed emotional bonds with last year. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 14 Oct. 2026 Murray likens the iOS version to when the game initially launched on the original Switch. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 12 Oct. 2026 Justin Jones, a lawmaker in the last of those, burned an image of a Confederate flag at the state capitol in protest, and likened local Republicans to Bull Connor and George Wallace. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026 What readers are saying The comments reflect a strong opposition to the idea of live-streaming an execution, with many criticizing it as barbaric and likening it to historical spectacles of violence. — Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for liken

Recent Examples of Synonyms for liken

Verb

Fifty percent plan to increase investment, compared with 18% of boomer owners, and 71% expect revenue growth, versus 51% of their older peers.

— Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
For instance, Siri’s lack of thinking power compared with other ultra-smart AI agents means that there’s far less of a chance of going rogue, or behaving in eerie ways.

— Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of compare

Browse Nearby Words

likely

liken

likened

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Liken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liken. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of liken

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes