Definition of differentnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word different different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of different are disparate, divergent, diverse, and various. While all these words mean "unlike in kind or character," different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness.

different foods

When could disparate be used to replace different?

The words disparate and different are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.

disparate notions of freedom

When can divergent be used instead of different?

Although the words divergent and different have much in common, divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation.

went on to pursue divergent careers

In what contexts can diverse take the place of different?

In some situations, the words diverse and different are roughly equivalent. However, diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.

such diverse interests as dancing and football

Where would various be a reasonable alternative to different?

While in some cases nearly identical to different, various stresses the number of sorts or kinds.

tried various methods

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of different An early adopter of technology throughout his career, Soderbergh views AI as an efficient tool, no different than digital video or an iPhone camera. Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 15 May 2026 The furor has dampened the festivities of the normally high-camp, joyful, gaudy extravaganza, in which acts representing different, mostly European countries each perform a song, competing to be crowned the winner after a public and jury vote. Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 15 May 2026 So how is Nemesis different than Power to you? Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 May 2026 Short also told the Times that the most recent loss in his life was different. Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for different
Recent Examples of Synonyms for different
Adjective
  • The family belongs to Sudan’s Nuba minority, a Black, ethnically diverse group of some three million people indigenous to the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan, an oil-rich, agricultural region next to Darfur.
    Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
  • The Proust Questionnaire, the static back page of Vanity Fair’s book for decades, will inspire interviews with a diverse set of public figures and will be filmed at the homes of subjects.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said emergency responders treated victims at four separate shooting scenes across the city.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
  • This Bagsmart travel jewelry organizer has separate, dedicated pockets and compartments for your rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings, and folds up into a compact pouch for easy packing.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • The oat crust contributes its own distinctive earthy, toasty flavor.
    The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
  • Balagov is indisputably a filmmaker with his own distinctive vision, ideally matched with Evgueni and Sacha Galperine’s glowering score and with Fray’s nimble shooting style, which often takes its cue to get in close from the knotted bodies on the wrestling mats.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Adjective
  • The arrangement will be much the same with the Steelers, though both player and coach are in different phases of their respective careers.
    Will Graves, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
  • The respective domestic and international weekend dips of -31% via Lionsgate and -14% via Universal is everything a competing studio can be jealous of.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • With two distinct waves of iPhone 18 handsets arriving, Apple can leverage this to their advantage, bringing more users to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max handsets, disrupting Android’s Mobile World Congress launch cycle, and giving the iPhone 18 a clear run as its consumer-friendly champion.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
  • Through a combination of archival footage, interviews with surviving contemporaries, and many, many photos, the film attempts to get to the bottom of Avedon’s distinct knack for capturing celebrities at their very best.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • Sia's Fan Favorite prize began in 2016, and she's since awarded over $1 million to various players.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
  • The Mark Hotel, on Seventy-seventh Street and Madison, was a center of the hubbub, with a hundred and fifty-three rooms and suites booked out to various glam squads.
    Jane Bua, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • One out of every 16 minutes across six hours of NCAA football bowl games referenced gambling — far less than any other sport.
    Luke Connors, Washington Post, 19 May 2026
  • And while track and field adopted the dual-advancement and dual-medal system, the policy does not easily translate to head-to-head contact sports or other athletic competitions, creating what critics see as a glaring inconsistency across the state.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
Adjective
  • If atoms were distinguishable, looking at two atoms of the same type would be like looking at two cars of the same make and model, says Christian Sanner, a physicist at Colorado State University, who was not involved in the new paper.
    K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 13 May 2026
  • At the busy lobby bar, those attending the function are easily distinguishable by their tuxedos and ball gowns from hotel guests in their Saturday-night duds.
    Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Different.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/different. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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