What does alike mean?
"Alike" describes sameness — either the state of being very similar or the fact of being treated, behaving, or appearing in an identical way. Most often it functions as an adverb placed directly after the people or things it modifies, as when we say that two friends dress alike, write alike, or think alike, or that a rule applies to young and old alike. It can also serve as a predicative adjective, as in "the two paintings are remarkably alike." The word carries no particular connotation of its own; its effect depends entirely on context, conveying equality of treatment in one sentence and uncanny resemblance in another. Its fixed position after the modified word gives English prose a distinctive rhythm, and phrases such as "great minds think alike" have embedded it firmly in everyday idiom. Simple, versatile, and centuries old, "alike" remains one of the most economical ways English has of expressing shared qualities or identical treatment.
In the same manner or to the same degree; without difference or distinction.
"The law applies to citizens and visitors alike."
Almost always appears immediately after the noun or pronoun it modifies.
Very similar; closely resembling each other.
"No two snowflakes are exactly alike."
Used only predicatively in modern English; attributive use ("alike faces") is obsolete.
"Great minds think alike" — but the phrase is a shortened version of a longer proverb that added "and fools seldom differ."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of alike
"Alike" descends from the Old English compound "onlīc," formed from "on" (in the sense of 'resembling') and "gelīc" ('having the same form'), the same root that gave us "like." Through Middle English forms such as "anlich" and "onlike" it settled into its modern shape by roughly the sixteenth century. Its Germanic relatives include German "ähnlich" ('similar') and Dutch "gelijk" ('equal'), all stemming from the same ancient root meaning 'body, form.'
How alike is actually used
"Alike" is almost always used postpositively — it follows the word it modifies rather than preceding it. As a predicative adjective ("The sisters are very alike") it remains common, but attributive use before a noun is now largely obsolete. The word carries no strong register; it appears comfortably in both formal writing and everyday speech.
Easily confused with alike
"Like" is a preposition or adjective meaning similar to something, while "alike" is typically an adverb placed after a noun or pronoun meaning in the same way or to the same degree.