resemble

/ɹɪˈzɛmbəl/

//ɹɪˈzɛmbəl// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"resemble" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“resemble” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #10,754. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#10,754
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To be like or similar to (something); to represent as similar.

Corpus desk

Index EN-resemble · resemble · English

resemble · rank #10,754 · 12 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #10,754
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH renew

Nearest frequency peer: renew (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “resemble”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “resemble” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

resemble vs resembled
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for resemble
PropertyValue
Headwordresemble
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈzɛmbəl/
Letters8
Frequency rank#10,754
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “resemble”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).resemblelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “renew” (#10,753), “retarded” (#10,755), “reminding” (#10,752). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “resemble” is #10,754. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around resemble (IPA /ɹɪˈzɛmbəl/), averb. Corpus frequency is #10,754 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for resemble, with forms such as "ersemble", "reesmble", and "resebmle". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "resembled", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English resemblen, from Anglo-Norman resembler, ressembler, from re- + sembler (“to seem”). By surface analysis, re- + semble. The correct English form is resemble, spelled R-E-S-E-M-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To be like or similar to (something); to represent as similar.
  2. 2
    To compare; to regard as similar, to liken.
  3. 3
    To counterfeit; to imitate.
  4. 4
    To cause to imitate or be like; to make similar.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how resemble appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The twins resemble each other.
  2. We will resemble you in that.

Etymology

From Middle English resemblen, from Anglo-Norman resembler, ressembler, from re- + sembler (“to seem”). By surface analysis, re- + semble.

Synonyms

mirrorduplicatelook likeresemblesmack of

Antonyms

differassimilateconnaturalizenormalizestandardise

This word in other languages

ähneln(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ersemble
  • reesmble
  • resebmle
  • resembble
  • resembel
  • resemblle
  • resemlbe
  • resemmble
  • resmeble
  • ressemble
  • rresemble
  • rseemble

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of resemble - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ersemble2reesmble2resebmle2resembble1resembel2resemblle1resemlbe2resemmble1
Edit distance from "resemble"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "resemble"?
"resemble" is spelled R-E-S-E-M-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈzɛmbəl/.
What does "resemble" mean?
As a verb, "resemble" means: To be like or similar to (something); to represent as similar.
What words are commonly confused with "resemble"?
"resemble" is commonly confused with "resembled". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "resemble"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "resemble" is /ɹɪˈzɛmbəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "resemble"?
From Middle English resemblen, from Anglo-Norman resembler, ressembler, from re- + sembler (“to seem”). By surface analysis, re- + semble. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "resemble", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

retarded#10,755paranoid#10,742Sherlock#10,766oriental#10,738

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

rightly12 variantsSchmidt12 variantssolitary12 variantsmetaphor12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list