different
Something is different whether it is only a little or completely unlike something else. Not only are your two cats different breeds, but they are also different from your pet tiger.
Often followed by the word than or from, different describes something that contrasts with, or differs from, something else. With roots in the Latin differre, meaning “to set apart,” different can also describe something that belongs in a whole other category. More recently, the word has picked up an additional sense — for something that is special or unique, in an extraordinary or sometimes negative way. That tie your dad has with the different kinds of peppers on it is definitely... different.
Definitions of different
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unlike in nature, quality, form, or degree“took different approaches to the problem”“came to a different conclusion”“different parts of the country”“on different sides of the issue”“this meeting was different from the earlier one”
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Synonyms:
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incompatible
not compatible
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dissimilar, unlike
marked by dissimilarity
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antithetic, antithetical
sharply contrasted in character or purpose
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assorted, various
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
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contrary
very opposed in nature or character or purpose
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contrasting, contrastive
strikingly different; tending to contrast
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diametric, diametrical, opposite, polar
characterized by opposite extremes; completely opposed
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divergent
diverging from another or from a standard
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disparate
fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
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distinct, distinguishable
(often followed by `from') not alike; different in nature or quality
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diverse, various
distinctly dissimilar or unlike
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divers, diverse
many and different
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opposite
altogether different in nature or quality or significance
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several
distinct and individual
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variant
differing from a norm or standard
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dissimilar
not similar
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varied
characterized by variety
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Antonyms:
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same
closely similar or comparable in kind or quality or quantity or degree
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equal
having the same quantity, value, or measure as another
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like, similar
resembling or similar; having the same or some of the same characteristics; often used in combination
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assonant
having the same sound (especially the same vowel sound) occurring in successive stressed syllables
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comparable, corresponding, like
conforming in every respect
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cookie-cutter
having the same appearance (as if mass-produced)
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duplicate
identically copied from an original
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homophonic
having the same sound
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identical, indistinguishable
exactly alike; incapable of being perceived as different
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one
of the same kind or quality
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synoptic, synoptical
presenting or taking the same point of view; used especially with regard to the first three gospels of the New Testament
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similar
marked by correspondence or resemblance
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unvaried, unvarying
lacking variety
- show more antonyms...
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incompatible
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marked by dissimilarity“people are profoundly different”
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synonyms:
dissimilar, unlike
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Antonyms:
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like, similar
resembling or similar; having the same or some of the same characteristics; often used in combination
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like-minded
of the same turn of mind
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look-alike
resembling closely
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suchlike
of the same kind
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same
closely similar or comparable in kind or quality or quantity or degree
- show more antonyms...
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like, similar
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differing from all others; not ordinary“advertising that strives continually to be different”“this new music is certainly different but I don't really like it”
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Synonyms:
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unusual
not usual or common or ordinary
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unusual
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distinct or separate“each interviewed different members of the community”
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Synonyms:
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other
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
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other
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distinctly separate from the first“that's another (or different) issue altogether”
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Synonyms:
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other
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
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other
Pronunciation
US
/ˈdɪfrɪnt/
UK
/ˈdɪfrənt/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘different'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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