dissimilar

adjective

dis·​sim·​i·​lar (ˌ)di(s)-ˈsi-mə-lər 

-ˈsim-lər

: not the same or similar : different or unalike

people with dissimilar backgrounds

dissimilar materials

The responsibilities of the resident were not dissimilar to those of the intern …

—James D. Hardy

dissimilarly

(ˈ)di(s)-ˈsi-mə-lər-lē 

-ˈsim-lər-

adverb

Synonyms

• different
• disparate
• distant
• distinct
• distinctive
• distinguishable
• diverse
• nonidentical
• other
• unalike
• unlike

Examples of dissimilar in a Sentence

The two movies are very dissimilar.

The writers have dissimilar backgrounds.

The question is not dissimilar to one asked earlier.

Recent Examples on the Web

The horror of Todd is not entirely dissimilar to the horror of Plemons’s ultranationalist in Civil War. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2024

Netflix’s statistical models of its users’ inclinations and preferences are almost certainly dissimilar to Amazon’s, even when both are trying to model the same people grappling with similar decisions. —Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2022

Languages differ enough to lead to dissimilar views of reality. —Keith Tidman, Baltimore Sun, 29 Feb. 2024

Researchers tried using a filler material called glass frit in the weld, but the bonds of the dissimilar materials proved too brittle and weak for outdoor solar panel designs, Young says. —IEEE Spectrum, 9 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin dissimilāris, from Latin dis- dis- + Medieval Latin similāris similar

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing dissimilar

• not dissimilar

Kids Definition

dissimilar

adjective

dis·​sim·​i·​lar (ˈ)dis-ˈ(s)im-ə-lər 

: different sense 1, unlike

dissimilarity

(ˌ)dis-ˌ(s)im-ə-ˈlar-ət-ē 

noun

dissimilarly

(ˈ)dis-ˈ(s)im-ə-lər-lē 

adverb