likened

past tense of liken
1
as in compared
to describe as similar he generally likened a root canal to some horrible form of torture

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in identified
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

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 likened Going further, the Pretty in Pink actor likened the Wall Street star to a former prominent dictator. Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025 Advertisement ‘This is war’ Several on the right have likened Kirk’s death to a declaration of war. Chad De Guzman, Time, 11 Sep. 2025 Roberts likened the option to more of a reset than a demotion. Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025 This particular dachshund's antics were enough to spark a wave of both laughter and empathy from viewers, many of whom likened the behavior to their own pets' end-of-day routines. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 Zaslow likened the situation to hiking a 14er for a few hours. Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025 The chatbot likened itself and Brooks to historical scientific figures such as Alan Turing and Nikola Tesla. Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025 Caruso likened the Vandals to North Dakota State and South Dakota State, two of the perennial powers in the FCS. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 5 Sep. 2025 Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo likened the requirements to slavery. Tara Suter, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likened
Verb
  • The latest monthly growth data showed there was zero growth in July, compared with the previous month, spurring concerns that a slowdown was setting in.
    Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Also, while the 16 Plus' battery life isn’t class-leading, its 167-nit brightness at our 50% testing setting is impressive, particularly compared with the Asus and Samsung.
    Charles Jefferies, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The combined mental and physical illness risks of loneliness have been equated with those of obesity or smoking and represent a serious public health concern.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • In a terse statement confirming only the broad outlines of the incident, the Pentagon equated Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government to a narco-trafficking cartel, allegations Caracas denies.
    Phil Stewart, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Likened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likened. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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