Definition of differentnext

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 The economics of those contests, however, couldn’t be more different. — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026 There’s a magic to young adults aged 18 to 22 coming together from different corners of the world, bringing their diverse tastes to a campus. — Elise Brisco, VIBE.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Navajo Dye Chart shows how plants can be used to make different colors. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 These days, the Ambassador has to handle a different set of challenges such as handling the fallout when the boss criticizes the British Prime Minister on social media. — Peter White, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for different
Recent Examples of Synonyms for different
Adjective
  • Conceivably, there is Naftali Bennett, who served as PM in 2021-22 but could not keep his diverse coalition together.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 18 Oct. 2026
  • His great-grandson is focused on how to build a corporate culture that suits both Japan, “our mother countryâ€� and the source of more than half of the group’s sales, and the diverse expectations of 40,000 employees around the world.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Davis’s letter follows a separate ethics complaint filed by a conservative watchdog group to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics over Slotkin’s University of Chicago remarks, first reported by the Washington Examiner on Tuesday.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Ticketmaster also faces a separate lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and seven states.
    — James LaForge, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • That includes colorblock styling, chunky knobs and physical controls, and simple shapes that make each device memorable and distinctive.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The person buried there is believed to have belonged to the Linear Pottery culture — named for the distinctive spiral and wavy patterns decorating its pottery.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Yet the clubs from small markets with relatively low payrolls found ways to play the best baseball in each of their respective leagues this season en route to the World Series.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The only visible evidence of a human hand was paper coverings, which had been taped on the machines to obscure their respective logos.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Researchers identified distinct activity patterns in the brain’s dorsal regions that directly correlate with social dominance through the observation of freely interacting mice.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Nevertheless, analysts caution that evaluating the deal requires assessing whether the combined entity can generate distinct operational synergies and unlock long term expansion potential.
    — , CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • That experience is backed up by research and investigations in various states, which make clear that voting by noncitizens is extremely rare.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • So, what does the various-minded leader do when the map runs out?
    — Jeff DeGraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Levine did, however, receive a letter signed by over a dozen former Israeli security, intelligence and other officials, including former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, former Mossad director Tamir Pardo and former Shin Bet director Ami Ayalon.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Ten other people, ages 5 to 68, were also hit and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, Police Capt.
    — Maggie Vespa, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • By combining them in different proportions, the researchers can create 16 distinguishable colours and at least 300 different shades.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Given medium, proportions, and form, from a distance Shift is barely distinguishable from the land.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Different.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/different. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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