share a resemblance

USAGE SUMMARY

"share a resemblance" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe the similarities between two things. For example, "The two buildings share a resemblance in their modern style of architecture."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The character's improbably smooth skin and platinum blond hair share a resemblance with Dr Brandt.

Independent

You're sure to bump into people your wife knows when you take her to the same places you take your wife (See Tip #4), e.g., restaurants, church, parent-teacher conferences, and you may find success confusing those acquaintances if your mistress and wife share a resemblance.

Huffington Post

The genes in the other cluster in this family share a resemblance to invertebrate genes according to the top five hits in BLAST searches against the NCBIs (National Center for Biotechnology Information) non-redundant (nr) database.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

He pointed out that every eighth element in this grouping shared a resemblance and suggested an analogy with the intervals of the musical scale.

Encyclopedia Britannica

While the 2013 challenger shares a resemblance to its predecessor on the outside, under the skin, both Button and new McLaren recruit Sergio Perez stressed that a lot has changed.

BBC

However, because increases in endomysial connective tissue and the presence of core formations may also be observed in RYR1-related and TTN-related CNM (Jungbluth et al., 2007; Jungbluth and Gautel, 2014), the PlnOE mouse also shares a resemblance to these forms of CNM.

DMM Disease Models and Mechanisms

Several standing bodhisattvas share a superficial resemblance -- same stance, same accumulation of princely jewelry, a sort of armor-by-Tiffany -- but their faces are individualized.

The New York Times - Arts

He lobs the f-word back at liberals, though after each of his many attacks he is at pains to say that they are not "evil" fascists, they just share a family resemblance.

The Washington Post

The increasing demand for CPM not only promotes business opportunities with tremendous financial profit but also drives fraudulent companies to adulterate or even substitute the labeled medicinal materials with cheaper plants or animals which share a close resemblance in morphology, chemical composition or clinical usage.

Nature

One woman screams as he floors the gas pedal; another tells the camera how awesome it is to be riding around in "Mark Zuckerberg's Lamborghini" (with whom Dein does share a striking resemblance).

Forbes

The prototype theory has its philosophical roots in Wittgenstein's (1953/1958) famous remark that the things covered by a term often share a family resemblance, and it has its psychological roots in Eleanor Rosch's experimental treatment of much the same idea (Rosch & Mervis 1975, Rosch 1978).

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "share a resemblance", ensure that the subjects being compared have tangible, noticeable similarities. Avoid using it for abstract or metaphorical connections.

Common error

Avoid using "share a resemblance" when the similarities are superficial or minor. It's better to use weaker terms like "vaguely similar" or "somewhat related" in such cases.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "share a resemblance" functions as a relational phrase, connecting two or more entities by indicating that they possess similar characteristics or appearances. As Ludwig confirms, it's a grammatically sound way to describe likeness between subjects.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "share a resemblance" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe the similarity between two or more subjects. According to Ludwig, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, particularly in News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias. While other phrases like ""bear a similarity"" or "have similarities" offer alternatives, "share a resemblance" effectively conveys a visual or superficial likeness. Remember to use it when there are tangible, noticeable similarities and avoid overstating minor connections.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bear a similarity

This alternative uses "bear" instead of "share", which slightly changes the tone and can imply a more visible or obvious similarity.

have similarities

This phrase is more general, focusing on the presence of similarities rather than the act of sharing them.

exhibit a likeness

This option uses "exhibit" and "likeness", suggesting a more formal and perhaps more demonstrable similarity.

mirror each other

Suggests a high degree of similarity, almost to the point of being reflections.

possess common features

This alternative emphasizes the shared characteristics rather than the overall resemblance.

have a parallel

Implies a relationship or connection that runs alongside each other.

display a parallel

This option implies a more structured or comparable relationship between the subjects.

reflect similarities

Focuses on how similarities are shown or made evident.

are comparable

This phrase suggests that the items being compared are similar enough to be considered alongside each other.

have something in common

This phrase is very general and indicates any shared attribute, not necessarily a strong visual resemblance.

FAQs

How can I use "share a resemblance" in a sentence?

You can use "share a resemblance" to describe similar qualities between two or more subjects. For example, "The two paintings "bear a similarity" in their use of color".

What are some alternatives to "share a resemblance"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like ""bear a similarity"", "have similarities", or "exhibit a likeness".

Is it correct to say "shared a resemblance"?

Yes, "shared a resemblance" is the past tense form of the phrase and is grammatically correct. For example, "The twins "displayed a parallel" that often confused their teachers".

What's the difference between "share a resemblance" and "have something in common"?

"Share a resemblance" implies a visual or superficial similarity, while "have something in common" is more general and can refer to any shared attribute, not necessarily a physical one.