likevslinkedWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: like is a verb, linked is an adjective, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“like” is a verb and “linked” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#42
“like” frequency rank
#2,797
“linked” frequency rank
2839
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature like linked
Definition To enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of. Connected, either with links, or as if with links.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set like and linked apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
like
6 ch
linked

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

like and linked form a confusable pair in the English index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 2 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 2839, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

like is recorded at frequency rank #42, classified as averb, pronounced /laɪ̯k/. linked is at rank #2,797, tagged as anadj, pronounced /lɪŋkt/.

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 2839, this pair ranks #523,885 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

like#42
linked#2,797

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "like" and "linked" be used interchangeably?
No, "like" and "linked" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering like vs linked

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “like”; for an adjective, it's “linked”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “like” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list