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 of dissimilar

• different
• diverse
• distinctive
• distinct

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

In the end, getting a vote and getting a sale are not so dissimilar, making politicians the cousins of retailers. — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026

Whereas solar system comets tell us about the birth of Earth, an interstellar comet can tell us about conditions in which planets formed around another star, and how similar or dissimilar those conditions were to the birth of the solar system. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Many are now working in the decor world, lending their distinct perspective to a new product category—though not a dissimilar one. — Helena Madden, Robb Report, 1 Nov. 2026

The new version isn’t too dissimilar from the original — both being high-flying rock songs — but Grohl and Smear give the track a distinct Foo Fighters-esque edge. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026

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

Rhymes for dissimilar

• similar

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