as in discriminatory
favoring, applying, or being unequal treatment of different classes of people
did away with differential pay scales for men and women doing the same work
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Recent Examples of differential
The Cherries earned 15 wins, 11 draws, and 12 losses, scoring 58 goals while conceding 46—good for a solid +12 goal differential.
—
Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Aug. 2025
That’s why a recent presidential executive order calling for differential pricing for nonresident visitors to national parks couldn’t come at a better time.
—Tate Watkins, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025
Minnesota didn’t lose a game in pool play, but missed out on the semifinals thanks to point differential.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 19 July 2025
There are other important fluids such as those that go with the power steering, clutch and differential.
—Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for differential
Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Aug. 2025
That’s why a recent presidential executive order calling for differential pricing for nonresident visitors to national parks couldn’t come at a better time.
—Tate Watkins, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025
Minnesota didn’t lose a game in pool play, but missed out on the semifinals thanks to point differential.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 19 July 2025
There are other important fluids such as those that go with the power steering, clutch and differential.
—Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for differential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for differential
Adjective
-
The agreement also includes an injunction preventing the union from enforcing the collective bargaining agreement between the union and the district on the basis of race and from retaliating against anyone who opposed any discriminatory practices or participated in any related investigation.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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That was when rioters trashed and toppled Confederate statues and other symbols deemed racist and discriminatory.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Asking them to police a city is unfair — to them, and to the people they’re supposed to serve.—
Eric Chastain,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
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There’s a dip after that — but this, of course, is a bit unfair as the players of this generation are continuing to pick up caps.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Differential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/differential. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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