1
as in diversity
the quality or state of being different
there's a great difference between claiming to care about the environment and living like you really do
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dispute
variance of opinion on a matter
we must try to settle our differences without fighting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in change
the act, process, or result of making different
it won't make any difference which one you choose
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to differentiate
to understand or point out the difference in
people who cannot difference God's will from their own selfish desires and prejudices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of difference
Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2026
In flying cars, that difference often separates experimental designs from aircraft ready for real-world service.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Feb. 2026
Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
But that’s largely attributed to the singular genius of coach Bill Belichick, who is famous for his ability to adapt his game plan and players to difference situations each week.
—Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press, 2 Mar. 2018
See All Example Sentences for difference
Noun
Heterosexual men also reported feeling passionate love more times on average than heterosexual women, but no such differences appeared between men or women who were gay, lesbian or bisexual.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2026
In flying cars, that difference often separates experimental designs from aircraft ready for real-world service.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
Interface differences aside, the Approach J1 appears to be fundamentally quite similar to the Approach S44, which was released a year earlier in January 2025.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
But that’s largely attributed to the singular genius of coach Bill Belichick, who is famous for his ability to adapt his game plan and players to difference situations each week.
—Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press, 2 Mar. 2018
See All Example Sentences for difference
Recent Examples of Synonyms for difference
Noun
-
At a time of mounting concern over the lack of diversity in Silicon Valley — dominated by white men — Jackson successfully pressured Uber to release demographic data showing its staff was overwhelmingly male.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Some leaders, producers and directors were not amused by Goldberg, saying her remarks were insulting and dismissive of a serious fight to gain diversity within the motion picture industry.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But before the action alights in the location of the latest dispute between adjacent property owners to catch the eye of directors Harrison Fishman and Dylan Redford (yes, grandson of Robert), the shot fills with the telltale red, white and blue of the American flag.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
While Japan has seized fishing vessels from South Korea and Taiwan in recent years, the incident is the first involving a vessel from China since 2022 and comes against the backdrop of a major diplomatic dispute between the countries.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Signaling the need for change Strazik worked in GE’s aviation engine and gas power businesses before taking over what was then GE Power in 2021.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Shape, texture, information Beyond visual changes, the smart skin can also reveal hidden information through mechanical deformation.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
These are placed in P6 cell culture dishes and differentiated by an orbital shaker.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Younger siblings often play more dangerous sports, research shows, as a way to differentiate themselves.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the immediate future, Murray said, the Post would concentrate on areas that demonstrate authority, distinctiveness and impact, and resonate with readers, including politics, national affairs and security.—
David Bauder,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
As to the non-final action, one problem for the A’s is that the marks fail to show enough distinctiveness.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The San Francisco native has been surrounded by controversy for many years, with global scrutiny and media coverage reaching a fever pitch during her 2022 Olympics debut in Beijing.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Last year’s festival, the first under Tuttle’s leadership, was largely free of such controversies.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But Parker has also taken a few creative liberties and made adaptational alterations — including a key conversation that the showrunner now regrets leaving out.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
-
But for Bashara, the most important aspects to consider in assessing potential are the home’s foundation, roof, and the extent of previous alterations.—
Staff Author,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Shaq — who, in 2023, arguably gave the worst performance in the long and distinguished history of the Outside Lands music festival — will once again be performing under the stage name DJ Diesel.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Developed by Van Oossanen Naval Architects and designed by Omega Architects, the all-aluminum cruiser was distinguished by a fast-displacement hull and a vertical stem (or plumb bow) that notched her multiple prestigious awards and inspired an entire Heesen series of 164-foot fast-cruisers.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Difference.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/difference. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
