The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word RESEMBLES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
R
E
S
E
M
B
L
E
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Looks like" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case looks like = resembles.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does RESEMBLES mean?
RESEMBLES verb- To be like or similar to (something); to represent as similar.
- To compare; to regard as similar, to liken.
- To counterfeit; to imitate.
- To cause to imitate or be like; to make similar.