How to Use liken to in a Sentence

liken to

verb
  • The murals were likened to a gallery for the car age.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Steve Concialdi likened to an ice cube freezing.
    — Nina Giraldo, CNN Money, 24 May 2026
  • For Young, that means tossing aside a blocker, a process Minter likened to a train wreck.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • This palm is distinguished by its edible one-inch fruit, which turns black when ripe and whose taste is likened to dates.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The species name refers to its fetid smell, likened to that of linseed oil or stink bugs, although some who sniff it find its fragrance sweet.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Democracy has been likened to the process of making sausage, a messy endeavor but one worth the effort.
    — John Vukmirovich, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026
  • That he was so often likened to Chaplin only made Caesar more tongue-tied the two times the two men met.
    — CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Completely relaxed, the dog naps upside down in a pose many viewers likened to a roasting chicken.
    — Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
  • This design aesthetic is translated to the store, which Kinay likens to a gallery more than a shop.
    — Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The campy, colorful contest has been likened to the World Cup with songs instead of soccer.
    — Jill Lawless, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
  • Flemings has been likened to a Ja Morant-type of explosive point guard but with a reliable jump shot.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 9 June 2026
  • The collision of two black holes is often likened to the striking of a bell, which is why the fading signal that follows is known as a ringdown.
    — Sam MacDonald, Scientific American, 26 June 2026
  • It can, in a sense, be likened to the Suez Canal, where Egypt earns huge revenues from allowing shipping transit.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 2026
  • This continental crisis goes beyond South Africa’s borders, and it is often likened to a wildlife war.
    — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The wholesale slaughter on the plains outside Troy is constantly likened to harvest, planting, herding flocks.
    — Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 25 June 2026
  • Walking through the towering, old-growth groves has been likened to a spiritual experience.
    — Eve Chen, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Swapping batteries requires a quick change that one broadcast executive likened to an F1 pit stop.
    — The Sports Desk, NBC news, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Often likened to a smaller version of Naples, Salerno also has a hilly topography.
    — Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2026
  • On the very first day, there was a torrential downpour and 30-mile-per-hour winds, which King likened to getting hit with a BB gun.
    — Amy Eskind, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
  • Restaurateurs and chefs say this major change will be a blow to the weekend's overall success, which has been likened to retail's Black Friday.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
  • In simpler terms, this ability can be likened to preemptive cellular engineering.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
  • The idea was likened to a national version of unearthing an ancient Egyptian tomb and expected to fascinate audiences.
    — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Often likened to pecans, shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) produces deliciously rich, sweet, and buttery nuts.
    — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Shenzhen is likened to a vibrant harbor for dreamers, and the hotel is pulling off the feat of becoming a gathering place for tech professionals and financial elites.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
  • The fruit itself is sweet and soft, often likened to a combination of blackberries, grapefruit, and mild raspberry, depending on the variety.
    — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Williams points out that some successful entrepreneurs hide their accomplishments rather than broadcast them—a kind of upward shame, or what McDowell likens to survivor's guilt.
    — Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
  • In the mock, Boston (6-4, 212 pounds) is likened to 2025 first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan.
    — Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The recently paused hepatitis B trial has similarly been likened to this stain on American history.
    — Uzma Rentia, STAT, 27 Apr. 2026
  • To put the feat in perspective, the climb has been likened to a salmon scaling something as extreme as Niagara Falls or even the CN Tower.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
  • New York’s versatile forward, often likened to a Swiss-army knife, finished with a game-high 33 points and 7 rebounds to go with 5 assists and 2 steals on the night.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'liken to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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