closely resembling

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "closely resembling" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that has a strong similarity or likeness to another thing. Example: "The new product design is closely resembling the original model, which has been very popular among consumers."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

The narrator is a man closely resembling the author.

The New York Times - Books

All around him, an N.F.L. team had turned into something more closely resembling a circus.

The New York Times - Sports

Earlier on Thursday, a website closely resembling the prime minister's website announced that Lee had died.

The Guardian

Symptoms closely resembling those of pellagra are seen in Hartnup disease.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Their language, closely resembling Malay, belongs to the Austronesian language family.

Encyclopedia Britannica

At one point he described a scene closely resembling the location of Jennifer Cardy's death.

Independent

From impressions left in stone, its elongated back appendages had hollow shafts and other characteristics closely resembling those of feathers.

The New York Times

Games run smoothly and with full audio, closely resembling gameplay on an actual NES console.

TechCrunch

The crew also specially prepared meals and used toilets closely resembling those on the space station.

TechCrunch

For example, the forehead appears flat on OMP normal maps, closely resembling the ground truth.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

To be honest, we can't imagine what Burton would do at Dior...make shoes not-closely-resembling torture devices?

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "closely resembling", ensure that the comparison is clear and specific, highlighting the key aspects of similarity between the subjects being compared.

Common error

Avoid using "closely resembling" when the similarity is superficial or vague. Ensure the resemblance is substantial and significant to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "closely resembling" functions as a modifier, typically within a predicate, to describe a noun. It indicates a strong similarity between the modified noun and another entity, often specifying in what way they are alike. Ludwig confirms its correct usage across varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

26%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "closely resembling" is a versatile and grammatically correct way to describe something that shares significant similarities with another entity. As confirmed by Ludwig, it functions as a modifier, primarily used to convey comparisons in descriptions. Its neutral to formal register makes it appropriate for a wide range of contexts, including science, news, and academic writing. While alternatives like "strongly resembles" or "bears a close resemblance to" exist, "closely resembling" provides a specific and detailed comparison. When using this phrase, ensure that the resemblance is substantial and clearly articulated to enhance clarity. Keep in mind that in several cases the adverb "closely" may be separated by a space, this happens when the verb is modified and not the adjective resembling.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

strongly resembles

Emphasizes the strength of the resemblance, suggesting a very noticeable similarity.

bears a close resemblance to

Highlights the act of having a resemblance, focusing on the characteristic of similarity.

is strikingly similar to

Indicates a similarity that is both strong and immediately noticeable.

closely approximates

Focuses on the degree of approximation, implying a near-perfect match.

mirrors closely

Suggests a reflection-like similarity, where one thing is nearly identical to another.

is nearly identical to

Emphasizes the almost complete sameness between two subjects.

is akin to

Indicates a similarity in nature or quality, suggesting a shared characteristic.

has a strong likeness to

Highlights the visual or superficial similarities between two subjects.

is analogous to

Indicates a similarity based on logical or functional parallels.

is comparable to

Suggests that two things can be compared due to shared characteristics or qualities.

FAQs

How can I use "closely resembling" in a sentence?

Use "closely resembling" to describe something with strong similarities to something else. For example, "The algorithm produced results closely resembling those of the original study".

What are some alternatives to "closely resembling"?

You can use alternatives like "strongly resembles", "bears a close resemblance to", or "is strikingly similar to" to express a similar meaning.

Is it better to say "closely resembling" or "similar to"?

"Closely resembling" emphasizes a more significant and detailed similarity than simply saying "similar to". The best choice depends on the degree of resemblance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "closely resembling" and "broadly resembling"?

"Closely resembling" implies a high degree of similarity in specific details, while "broadly resembling" suggests a more general, less precise similarity.