godlike

IPA/ˈɡɒdlaɪk/
IPA/ˈɡɑːdlaɪk/

godlike — adjective

  • godlikepositive
  • more godlikecomparative
  • most godlikesuperlative

1. possessing the extraordinary power, beauty, or wisdom that people traditionally

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

possessing the extraordinary power, beauty, or wisdom that people traditionally associate with a god or other supreme being

Example

Sora's godlike voice moved the entire audience to tears.

possessive noun + godlike + noun phrase

King Ilan was seen as a godlike figure who could control the seasons.

godlike figure — common noun collocation

Common collocations
  • godlike power
  • godlike beauty
  • godlike strength
  • godlike patience
  • godlike voice
  • godlike figure
  • godlike talent
  • godlike status
  • almost godlike
  • truly godlike
Synonyms
  • divine

    broader use, can be casual ('divine dessert'); less intense than godlike

  • superhuman

    focuses on abilities beyond normal human limits, less about beauty or moral qualities

  • almighty

    very strong, often carries religious or biblical overtones

Antonyms
  • mortal

    emphasises human limitation and imperfection

  • human

    down-to-earth, fallible, lacking exceptional qualities

Grammar Patterns

be + godlike

godlike + noun

Usage Note

Formal or literary register. Typically describes exceptional human abilities, beauty, or moral qualities rather than literal deities. Unlike 'divine', it is rarely used in casual or exaggerated praise.

Common Mistakes

This chocolate cake is godlike!
This chocolate cake is divine!
'divine' can be used as casual exaggeration; 'godlike' is too strong and sounds odd in everyday compliments.
He is a godlike.
He has a godlike quality.
'godlike' is an adjective, not a noun; it must modify a noun or follow a linking verb.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something beyond ordinary human limits, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Divine' is the most versatile — it can describe anything excellent ('a divine meal') and carries a lighter, sometimes humorous tone. 'Superhuman' focuses specifically on physical or mental abilities that exceed normal human capacity and is more neutral in register. 'Almighty' is the strongest of the group, strongly tied to religious or biblical contexts ('almighty God'), and is rarely used in everyday description. 'Transcendent' is the most abstract and philosophical, referring to something that goes beyond ordinary experience or categories altogether. In practice, if you mean a person has extraordinary skill or beauty, 'godlike' or 'superhuman' are the best choices; if you are exaggerating mildly, use 'divine'; if you mean truly beyond all possible limits, use 'almighty' or 'transcendent'.

divine ↗superhuman ↗almighty ↗transcendent ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • with godlike + noun
  • godlike in + noun

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicEnglish

Formed from the noun 'god' plus the suffix '-like', which has been used in English since Old English times to turn nouns into adjectives meaning 'similar to' or 'characteristic of'. The word appears in Old English as 'godlic' and is parallel to Old Norse 'guðlíkr' and German 'göttlich'.