dissimilar

adjective

dis·​sim·​i·​lar (ˌ)di(s)-ˈsi-mə-lər How to pronounce dissimilar (audio)
-ˈsim-lər
Synonyms of dissimilarnext
: 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.
Somewhat confusingly, the Long March 12 family now includes three dissimilar designs. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 2 June 2026 Much like their flawless smartphone designs, the striking look of these headphones uses hardware-exposing transparency in the shell, not dissimilar to my beloved Atomic Purple GameBoy Color, the original iMac, clear Swatches, and other such glorious Y2K-era artifacts. Air Mail, 30 May 2026 To me, Ruben’s final seconds on screen are a what-if moment, not dissimilar (though tonally opposite) to The Graduate’s final scene. Barry Levitt, Time, 29 May 2026 The overall cost of each package wouldn’t be dissimilar, and Gordon, 25, is a few years younger than the 28-year-old Rashford. Phil Hay, New York Times, 28 May 2026 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 12 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

dissimilar

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

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