NYT Dictionary

LIKE

/laɪ̯k/
VerbNounAdjectiveAdverbConjunctionPrepositionParticleLEYEKGrade 1

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026

Meaning

To enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

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”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

fancyenjoylovefavoritepreferencefor examplesuch asasI meanyou know

Antonyms

dislikehatemislikedisapproveunlikepet hatepet peeveantithesisopposite

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 11 recorded puzzles:

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