disparate 1 of 2

Definition of disparatenext

disparity

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of disparate are different, divergent, diverse, and various. While all these words mean "unlike in kind or character," disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.

disparate notions of freedom

When can different be used instead of disparate?

The words different and disparate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness.

different foods

When is it sensible to use divergent instead of disparate?

In some situations, the words divergent and disparate are roughly equivalent. However, 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 disparate?

While the synonyms diverse and disparate are close in meaning, diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.

such diverse interests as dancing and football

When could various be used to replace disparate?

While in some cases nearly identical to disparate, 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 disparate
Adjective
The disparate outcomes can help explain the generally gloomy attitude most Americans have toward the economy even as headline figures, such as the unemployment rate and economic growth, remain mostly solid. Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026 The disparate outcomes can help explain the generally gloomy attitude most Americans have toward the economy even as headline figures, such as the unemployment rate and economic growth, remain mostly solid. Christopher Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Noun
Starting in the 1990s, the country saw decades of growth in test scores and graduation rates, while racial disparities declined. ABC News, 13 May 2026 Starting in the 1990s, the country saw decades of growth in test scores and graduation rates, while racial disparities declined. CBS News, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for disparate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disparate
Adjective
  • The family belongs to Sudan’s Nuba minority, a Black, ethnically diverse group of some three million people indigenous to the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan, an oil-rich, agricultural region next to Darfur.
    Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
  • The Proust Questionnaire, the static back page of Vanity Fair’s book for decades, will inspire interviews with a diverse set of public figures and will be filmed at the homes of subjects.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • The difference is Giannis could be entering the final year of his contract.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 17 May 2026
  • The obsession with a hundred has something to do with our attraction to round numbers, but, at that speed, every mile per hour does make a difference.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • Chapultepec Castle, once a sovereign residence, is worth a visit, as is Audiorama, an area filled with benches and speakers that pump out different types of music.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
  • Health officials are now investigating whether the outbreak involves the Ebola Zaire strain — the deadliest and most well-known version of the virus — or a different variant, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • The melting pot implied that citizens gradually shed the distinctiveness of their traditions in order to become fully American.
    Ari Berman, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
  • The Pulitzer board encourages its juries to engage in both robust debate and its own inquiries into the distinctiveness of all entries.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • The upcoming capsule was developed by combining Eckhaus Latta’s distinctive approach to materials, fit and wearability with Mango’s in-house design expertise.
    Sharon Edelson, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
  • One of the more distinctive design elements is the use of Color Atelier limewash finishes throughout the home, including pale shades from the company’s Marfa palette, created in collaboration with photographer Douglas Friedman.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • How can the sense of an absolute union of all matter be reconciled with the endless multiplicity and distinctness of it?
    Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
  • However, a few hours with Air Riders reveals the nuance and depth of its gameplay, the distinctness of this flavor of racing game and its sensory, chaotic, and strategic appeal.
    Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • With two distinct waves of iPhone 18 handsets arriving, Apple can leverage this to their advantage, bringing more users to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max handsets, disrupting Android’s Mobile World Congress launch cycle, and giving the iPhone 18 a clear run as its consumer-friendly champion.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
  • Through a combination of archival footage, interviews with surviving contemporaries, and many, many photos, the film attempts to get to the bottom of Avedon’s distinct knack for capturing celebrities at their very best.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • The diversity of hormone function, from milk to mood, hunger to height, does not occur through the action of any single part of our anatomy.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
  • For bottlenecked species whose numbers are so low that breeding carries a risk of inbreeding, making tiny tweaks to the DNA could create synthetic genetic diversity and expand the gene pool.
    Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Disparate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disparate. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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