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

Cousins’s presence means Mendoza likely won’t have to start right away, and will also have a veteran quarterback who can mentor him — not dissimilar to how Alex Smith started for the Chiefs during Patrick Mahomes’s rookie year. —Andrew Greif, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026

Together with the rapid motion of the PBH—traveling at hundreds of times the speed of sound through the bulk of our planet—this would create a shock wave not too dissimilar from an earthquake. —Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026

Navy running back Eli Heidenreich was more productive in college, but his skill set is not that dissimilar to Short’s. —Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 22 Apr. 2026

The historic decision was not dissimilar to that of the 1978 conclave that elected John Paul II. —Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 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