dissimilar

adjective

dis·​sim·​i·​lar (ˌ)di(s)-ˈsi-mə-lər How to pronounce dissimilar (audio)
-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 adverb

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
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.
At best, Son is the best player ever produced by South Korea, a nation whose relatively limited soccer history is not all that dissimilar to the United States. Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025 To convert the heat to electricity, the RTGs employ a series of thermocouples, which consist of a junction of two dissimilar conductors. IEEE Spectrum, 25 Aug. 2025 Bowen’s plea for an improved performance is not too dissimilar to the reaction West Ham’s then captain Declan Rice tried to elicit midway through the 2022-23 season. Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025 Some of those tools aren’t too dissimilar from what firefighters use today. Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dissimilar

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissimilar was in 1599

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dissimilar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissimilar. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

dissimilar

adjective
dis·​sim·​i·​lar (ˈ)dis-ˈ(s)im-ə-lər How to pronounce dissimilar (audio)
dissimilarly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on dissimilar

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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