Mini Lesson: Words to use instead of Like

I haven’t posted one of these in a while and I just found an old note of mine about using Like.

Do you use Like too often when describing things?

by Janice Seagraves

If you’re like me you probably use Like too often than you like to admit when you describe things in your writing.  It’s important not to over use the same words of phrases in your writing.

Why?

Because using the same words or phrases can sound like lazy writing, and we don’t want our writing to sound lazy. We want our writing to sound dynamic and active.

Example: He was round and puffy like a marshmallow.

Better: He was round and puffy and resembled a marshmallow.

Here are a few words that you can use instead of like:

Almost

As if

Seemed to sense

Akin to

Such as

Similar to

Approximating

Resembling

In the vein of