liken

1 of 2

verb

lik·​en ˈlī-kən How to pronounce liken (audio)
likened; likening ˈlī-kə-niŋ How to pronounce liken (audio)
ˈlīk-niŋ
Synonyms of likennext

transitive verb

: to represent as similar : compare

likin

2 of 2

noun

li·​kin
variants or less commonly lekin or liken
ˈlēˈkēn
plural -s
: a former Chinese provincial tax at inland stations on imports or articles in transit

Synonyms of liken

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Verb

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Examples of liken in a Sentence

Verb he generally likened a root canal to some horrible form of torture I think that we can liken the two pianists, at least in terms of natural talent.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
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 The dress was sourced from Los Angeles vintage store Lily et Cie in Los Angeles, who likened the look to Elizabeth Taylor on its Instagram. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 19 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 But on Monday, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan likened many of the investors drawn to the AI boom to gamblers and questioned the economics of AI labs as Wall Street debates whether the AI bubble will burst. — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for liken

Word History

Etymology

Noun

modification of Chinese (Pekingese) li2-chin1, from li2 one thousandth of a tael + chin1 money

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of liken was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing liken

Rhymes for liken

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Browse Nearby Words

like-minded
liken
likeness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Liken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liken. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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