Name the subject
Start with the person, object, place, or sound you want to describe: “The new recording” or “Her handwriting.” The subject tells the reader what to picture.
Sentence examples
The clearest examples name two things and give the reader a reason to compare them. Use these sentences to see how resemble works in everyday descriptions, then adapt the pattern to your own subject.
Most writers start with a rough comparison, then check whether the sentence says who or what shares a feature. These related guides help with the next edit.
Use an example as a model, not as a sentence to paste unchanged. A small change in subject or context can make the comparison much more precise.
Start with the person, object, place, or sound you want to describe: “The new recording” or “Her handwriting.” The subject tells the reader what to picture.
Place resemble after the subject, then name what it is being compared with. Write “Her handwriting resembles her mother's,” not “resembles to her mother's.”
Add a feature when the comparison alone is too broad: “The recording resembles the original in its pacing.” You can also use “resemble” without naming a feature when the context makes the likeness obvious.
A useful revision replaces a vague claim of similarity with a direct comparison and, when needed, a specific shared feature.
The after sentence identifies the two voices and the feature they share. That makes the observation easier to understand without claiming the voices are identical.
These paired examples show what changes when a loose observation becomes a sentence with a clear subject, comparison, and context.
Rough observation
He looks a bit like his grandfather.
Revised example
He resembles his grandfather, especially around the eyes.
Rough observation
That station looks like an old theater.
Revised example
The station resembles an old theater with its arched entrance and red seats.
Rough observation
The cloud looks like a sail.
Revised example
From the beach, the cloud resembles a sail against the evening sky.
Rough observation
Their signatures look alike.
Revised example
Her signature resembles her father's in its long, slanted letters.
Rough observation
The second clip sounds like the first.
Revised example
The second clip resembles the first in rhythm, though the voices differ.
Rough observation
The new icon is similar to the old one.
Revised example
The new icon resembles the old one in shape but uses a brighter color.
Pick an example that matches what you are describing. The strongest version gives enough detail to support the comparison without implying the two things are the same.
You want to describe a family likeness without suggesting two relatives look identical.
“Mina resembles her aunt in the shape of her smile” names one visible feature. For shorter patterns, use the linked sentence guide.
resemble in a sentenceYou know what you want to compare but are unsure where the verb belongs.
“The drawing resembles the photograph” gives you a subject–verb–object pattern to follow. The linked guide walks through that placement.
how do you use resemble in a sentenceYou need to describe a likeness between recordings without saying they contain the same speaker.
“The two readings resemble each other in pace” limits the claim to one audible quality. Compare the wording choices in the linked guide.
resemble vs similarA sentence about a voice can describe pacing, tone, or emphasis without claiming to identify its speaker. If you want to hear how a line reads aloud, try it in a voice tool and listen for whether your intended contrast comes through.
“The puppy resembles its mother” is a simple example. “This chair resembles the one in our kitchen” uses the same pattern for objects. In each case, the subject comes before resemble and the thing compared comes after it.
Yes. You might write, “The two voices resemble each other in their slow, careful pacing.” Naming the shared quality makes it clear that you are describing a likeness, not asserting that the speakers are the same person.
Use resemble without to: “The model resembles the original.” The verb directly connects the subject to the person or thing being compared. If you want to use to, choose a different construction, such as “is similar to.”
Add a feature the reader can recognize, such as color, shape, tone, or rhythm. “The garden resembles her childhood garden” gives a comparison; “The garden resembles her childhood garden in its narrow stone paths” explains why.