Such As vs Like
Such As and Like are two words that are often confused due to the striking similarity in their meanings though there is some difference between the two words. Most of us use these two words, such as and like, as if synonyms. That is simply because we believe they are to be the same. However, that is not so. They, in fact, differ in their usage and connotations. Further, when the form of the word changes too, we can see differences in the usage of the words. For example, when the word like is used as a preposition it has one meaning. That same meaning changes when it is used as a verb. These facts will be described in detail, in this article.
What does Such As mean?
The word such as is used as indicative of ‘instances’ or ‘examples’ as in the sentences given below:
I like to eat fruits such as apple and mango.
Fine arts such as music and dance soothe our mind.
In both the sentences mentioned above, the word such as is used in the sense of ‘examples’. The first sentence gives examples of fruits as apple and mango. On the other hand, the second sentence gives examples of fine arts as music and dance.
What does Like mean?
The word like is indicative of similarity between two objects. It is important to know that this similarity arises due to comparison. Observe the two sentences given below:
Her eyes are beautiful like the lotuses.
He roared like a lion.
In the two sentences given above, you can see that the word like is used in the sense of ‘similarity’. In the first sentence, you get the meaning that her eyes resemble lotuses. In the second sentence, you get the meaning that his roar resembled that of a lion. Thus, the word like is based on resemblance. You will note that in these examples, the word like is used as a preposition. Therefore, it should be remembered that the word like is used as a preposition when used in comparison.
It is interesting to note that the word like sometimes is used in the sense of ‘desire’ as in the sentences given below:
I like roses.
I like to eat toasted bread.
In both the sentences, you can see that the word like is used in the sense of ‘desire’. The meaning of the first sentence would be ‘I desire roses’, and the meaning of the second sentence would be ‘I desire to eat toasted bread’. However, you should remember the word like has this meaning only when it is used as a verb as in the sentences given above as examples.
What is the difference between Such As and Like?
• The word such as is used as indicative of ‘instances’ or ‘examples.’
• The word like is indicative of similarity between two objects. This similarity comes into being due to comparison. This is the important difference between the two words, namely, such as and like.
• In comparisons, like is used as a preposition.
• When used as a verb, the verb likes means ‘desire.’
I disagree with your definition of “like” as a verb here. Like as a verb in the examples you provided describes opinion. I like roses. Perhaps another person doesn’t like roses, rather they like tulips. It doesn’t necessarily mean that either one of them want any flowers right now. They are just expressing their preferences of which type of flower they like (opinion).
I believe that “would like” describes desire. I would like (some) roses / to eat some toast. This means that at this moment in time, I desire roses / to eat some toast.