# like

> English word · Verb · IPA /laɪ̯k/ · frequency rank #42

## Definitions
1. To enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of.
2. To enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of.
3. To enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of.
4. To prefer and maintain (an action) as a regular habit or activity.
5. To find attractive; to prefer the company of; to have mild romantic feelings for.
6. To want, desire. See also would like.
7. To show support for, or approval of, something posted on the Internet by marking it with a vote.
8. Of inanimate objects:
9. Of inanimate objects:
10. To come near; to avoid with difficulty; to escape narrowly.
11. To have an appearance or expression; to look; to seem to be (in a specified condition).
12. To liken; to compare.

## Etymology
Verb from Middle English liken, from Old English līcian (“to like, to please”), from Proto-West Germanic *līkēn, from Proto-Germanic *līkāną, from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“image; likeness; similarity”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian liekje (“to be similar, resemble”), West Frisian lykje (“to seem, appear, look”), Dutch lijken (“to seem”), Low German lieken (“to be like; resemble”), German gleichen (“to resemble”), Swedish lika (“to like; put up with; align with”), Norwegian like (“to like”), Icelandic and Faroese líka (“to like”).
Noun from Middle English like (“pleasure, will, like”), from the verb Middle English liken (“to like”).

## Easily confused with
- **lit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-lit)
- **lip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-lip)
- **lil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-lil)
- **Liz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-liz)
- **lin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-lin)
- **Liu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-liu)
- **Liv** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-liv)
- **lim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-lim)
- **lis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-lis)
- **lye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-lye)
- **Luk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-luk)
- **love** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-love)
- **live** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-live)
- **line** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-line)
- **list** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-list)
- **lose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-lose)
- **link** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-link)
- **Luke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-luke)
- **lips** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-lips)
- **Lisa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/like-vs-lisa)

## Common misspellings (5)
`ilke`, `liek`, `likke`, `lkie`, `llike`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/like