Resemble means to look like or be similar to something or someone else. When people say you resemble your mother, they mean you share similar features: maybe the same eye color, the same shaped nose, or the same smile. When two things resemble each other, they have enough in common that you notice the similarity.

The word works for more than just physical appearance. A new song might resemble an older one if they have similar melodies or rhythms. Your handwriting might resemble your teacher's after you've practiced cursive for months. A plot in one book could resemble a plot in another, or two scientific theories might resemble each other in how they explain something.

The word suggests similarity without being identical. Twins might resemble each other closely, but they're still different people. A painted copy of a famous artwork might resemble the original, but an expert could tell them apart. When you say something bears a resemblance to something else, you're pointing out what they have in common while acknowledging they're not exactly the same.