Definition of differencenext
1
2
3

difference

2 of 2

verb

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
Noun
The difference, Roberts said, is how encouraged the manager was by Freeman’s workouts this week. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026 The difference, Hill said, is that Flock is not merely observing an individual vehicle in real time. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
These bottles make a strong case that differences in blending, barrel treatment, and proof can yield dramatically different aroma and flavor profiles. — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026 While every call is different, there are many things that remains the same, including the camaraderie and community and difference their work is making. — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for difference
Recent Examples of Synonyms for difference
Noun
  • These genomes should reflect the full sequence of both chromosome copies and the diversity of the global population, rather than relying on one person or one ancestral group as a universal standard.
    — Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The decrease in gut bacteria diversity was tied to expansions in populations of certain bad actors, such as the bacteria Enterococcus faecium.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • To join the plan, each one had to check a box, agreeing to use arbitration to settle any dispute.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Bracing for a ‘wave of disputes’ Take-or-pay contracts have their origins in the energy sector, where long and capital-intensive production timelines justified a similar legal ultimatum.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In addition to easing federal regulations, the bill also encourages states and cities to reform their land-use rules, which would mark a significant change in the federalist system with respect to city planning.
    — Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Even Meta’s settlement with the attorneys general, which requires changes to features aimed at teens, contains plenty of unknowns and ties some of its actionability to competitors doing the same.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • People also pause and interrupt, and the agent has to differentiate a real pause from end of sentence.
    — Jashwanth Pedapudi, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The devices successfully differentiated all 16 possible combinations.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Its strength lies in its capacity to evolve and find new ways to engage with the world around it, generation after generation, while retaining its distinctiveness.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Generally speaking, sports fans don’t bring up United States history when talking about their team’s big game, but that’s the distinctiveness of this rivalry.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • This week, in the zany world of SEC football, a bit of controversy bubbled to life.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The development, announced Wednesday, is the latest turn in a disturbing player-health controversy that could lead to legal action.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Cardtoons won because its alteration of the players’ appearances was deemed sufficiently inventive and, through parody, the cards reflected social commentary protected by the First Amendment that outweighed the players’ publicity rights claims.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • This included performing the first-ever lunar-Earth flyby in August 2024, and grabbing a speed boost and trajectory alteration from the second planet from the sun, Venus, a year later in August 2025.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Such moments underscore the features of streaming that distinguish it from television.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Firms that hold durable AI positions build diagnostic systems capable of distinguishing high-weight signals from low-weight noise.
    — Joseph Byrum, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Difference.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/difference. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster