Synonym Chooser

How is the word different different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of different are disparate, divergent, diverse, and various. While all these words mean "unlike in kind or character," different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness.

different foods

When could disparate be used to replace different?

The words disparate and different are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.

disparate notions of freedom

When can divergent be used instead of different?

Although the words divergent and different have much in common, divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation.

went on to pursue divergent careers

In what contexts can diverse take the place of different?

In some situations, the words diverse and different are roughly equivalent. However, diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.

such diverse interests as dancing and football

Where would various be a reasonable alternative to different?

While in some cases nearly identical to different, various stresses the number of sorts or kinds.

tried various methods

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 different My patients began to make different health choices and to question their prior ones almost as soon as the words were uttered. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025 Options that are marketed to be compatible with multiple dryers were tested across a variety of dryers with different shapes and sizes to confirm the claim; those that slipped off the nozzle or took elbow grease to lock in were removed from our list. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2025 Ways to measure strength The strength of materials is measured in several ways, each reflecting how a material responds to different types of stress. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025 When dietary intake is not enough, many people take iron supplements, which are available in many forms and different formulations. Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for different
Recent Examples of Synonyms for different
Adjective
  • Armenia was another new sourcing showcase, with an offer of 11 manufacturers of diverse profiles, from sportswear to outerwear.
    Ellen Groves, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Taiwan president Lai Ching-te promised to honor the referendum result while focusing on diverse energy sources.
    Yu-Tzu Chiu, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In a separate case, Pedro Juan Andres, 29, from Guatemala, was taken into custody after entering the United States without inspection.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Woolen made the Pro Bowl and finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2022 but has been temporarily benched in each of the last two seasons, for separate reasons (the latter due to a rule violation, according to Macdonald).
    Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The ground floor is home to the offices of creative director Gherardo Felloni and longtime brand ambassador Inès de la Fressange; the Salon de l’Héritage, an exhibition space and the Salon Vivier reception room, which reflects the distinctive interior design taste of the house’s founder.
    Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2025
  • From the modernist, Black figuration of Kwami’s ceramics to Abban’s documentary portrayals of Ghanaian protest movements and architecture, these artists responded to the distinctive, pedestrian layers of postcolonial life.
    Edna Bonhomme, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • What’s even more impressive is that the English voice cast has been largely retained from the original’s, who also voiced them in later entries whenever their respective characters made cameos or were involved in the story in some way.
    George Yang, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Notably, both parties will walk away with full retention over their respective IP, publishing and recording rights.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have used a massive UK Biobank dataset analysis to identify that fat distribution, not just overall size, maps to distinct changes in brain structure and connectivity.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2025
  • The park encompasses 134 miles of that stretch and is divided into 13 distinct sections.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Some are discontinuing various product lines, and others are cutting workers or closing altogether.
    Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Tensions have been running high in Denmark in recent days after various reports of drone activity, and hundreds of possible sightings reported by concerned citizens couldn’t officially be confirmed.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette maintains full editorial control over this article and all other coverage.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the fall equinox and has several other names.
    Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The structure of Pittsburgh’s tax, which involves applying a different rate to nonresidents, is distinguishable from many other such taxes, which typically apply the same rate to visiting players.
    Robert Raiola, Sportico.com, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The 300-second exposure shows the wandering solar system body as a minute dot, barely distinguishable among the stellar giants populating the distant starfield beyond.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Different.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/different. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on different

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