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 Investigating one of the Flame's hideouts reveals drawings of red humanoid figures with white eyes and fangs — not so dissimilar from the Carnage of the comics. EW.com, 27 Oct. 2023 Etsy Etsy is a more specific example of another company brought up a bunch of times by justices (other dissimilar companies were also brought up such as Uber and FedEx). Laura Bratton, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2024 Asked to comment on Hendrix’s musical legacy recently, Chapman inadvertently illustrated the similarities between the two trailblazers whose music is so dissimilar and yet surprisingly alike in at least one key way. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2024 South Africa is spearheading the charge against Israel out of a sense of historic commitment to the Palestinian people, who, South African officials contend, are subject to a regime of 21st century apartheid not wholly dissimilar to what existed in 20th century South Africa. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2024 Lonely individuals had brain activity that was not only significantly different from that of non-lonely individuals but was even more dissimilar from each other, meaning that each lonely person in this study perceived the world in a distinct way. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 3 July 2023 For anyone who’s not watched that movie—a story of two influencers who go on a luxury cruise that ultimately ends in disaster—our initial relationship with our fellow passengers was not entirely dissimilar to that of the film’s protagonists. Daniel Fletcher, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2024 The seemingly innocuous mission does not seem that dissimilar to the many other DEI initiatives that sprung up in the wake of the apparent racial reckoning the U.S. underwent after the police murder of George Floyd. Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 4 Jan. 2024 Collections typically involve dissimilar objects connected by a common meaning. Danny Weathers, Discover Magazine, 1 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dissimilar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near dissimilar

Cite this Entry

“Dissimilar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissimilar. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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

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