like already

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "like already" is not standard in written English and may be considered informal or colloquial.
It can be used in casual conversation or informal writing to express a sense of impatience or frustration about something that should have happened by now. Example: "I thought we were supposed to meet at 3 PM, and it's like already 3:15!"

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

And in case you hadn't noticed, dragons, owls, centaurs, unicorns and the like already populate the Met.

The New York Times - Arts

Nick had ordered me a coffee, which seemed like this manly 'I know what you like already and I've taken care of it' thing.

The New Yorker

I enjoyed brief success at this, too, enough so that as I passed an older classmate, she huffed that I was "like, already riding".

The New York Times

In a news release, the Asian Development Bank noted that traffic congestion, pollution, accidents and the like already shave some 5 percent from the gross domestic product in many Asian countries.

The New York Times

Illustrated by The Manchester School of Art (The Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University) "We were looking for poems that would do more than simply give what most young readers know they like already… We looked for poems that said No, we don't think that you are the average child, the average nine-year-old or the average boy or girl".

The Guardian

Nobody talks to anyone in person these days, not even the people they DO know and like already.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

"Schwab's operations are extremely bank-like" already because the firm lends money to its customers against the value of their stocks and mutual funds, he said.

The New York Times

It has 234 likes already.

TechCrunch

"It had 10,000 likes already," Rivers recalled.

Los Angeles Times

On yesterday's stage, Hillary had become part of Obama's inclusive and what-seemed-like-already-jelled team.

Huffington Post

It's like, enough already".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing formally, replace "like already" with more standard phrases such as "already", "as if", or "similar to" to maintain a professional tone.

Common error

Avoid using "like already" in academic papers, business reports, or formal correspondence. Opt for more precise and grammatically standard alternatives to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

Adverbial modifier: "Like already" functions primarily as an adverbial modifier, adding emphasis or comparison to the verb or clause it modifies. Ludwig examples shows its use to express similarity or a sense of anticipation. Ludwig AI suggests the phrase is acceptable in informal contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Science

24%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "like already" is a common expression used to convey similarity or anticipation, though generally considered informal. As Ludwig AI notes, while grammatically acceptable, it is best suited for casual conversation and informal writing, and less appropriate for formal contexts. Alternatives such as "similar to" or "as if" can maintain the intended meaning with greater formality. The analysis of Ludwig examples reveals that it appears most frequently in news and media, reflecting its conversational use. When aiming for clarity and professionalism, opting for more standard phrasing is advisable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

already like that

Reverses the order of the words while keeping a similar meaning.

already similar to

Focuses on the resemblance aspect.

as if already

Highlights the hypothetical or anticipatory nature.

essentially like

Emphasizes the fundamental similarity.

virtually the same as

Indicates near equivalence.

almost as

Focuses on the comparison to a threshold of likeness.

nearly identical to

Expresses a high degree of similarity.

tantamount to

Indicates that something is virtually equal to something else.

akin to

Indicates similarity in quality or character.

resembling

Focuses on the physical or superficial similarity.

FAQs

What does "like already" mean?

"Like already" is an informal phrase used to express that something is similar to something else, or to emphasize that something should have happened by now. It is often used in casual conversation.

Is it correct to say "like already" in formal writing?

No, "like already" is generally considered too informal for academic or professional writing. Use more formal alternatives such as "similar to", "already", or "as if".

What can I say instead of "like already"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "already like that", "already similar to", or "as if already".

How can I use "like already" in a sentence?

You can use "like already" to compare things or express something that is almost a certain way. For example, "It feels like it already happened" or "The project is like already finished".