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 novels range from supremely short to extremely long and include settings as disparate as a sunny cruise ship and COVID-era Manhattan. Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026 How any of these disparate pieces of the company fit together is anyone’s guess. Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
This stark disparity creates a quiet, devastating ripple effect. Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026 Research shows that single people going through cancer care have worse outcomes, and DelFattore said those disparities are amplified by stereotypes often held by doctors. Michal Ruprecht, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disparate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disparate
Adjective
  • Altadena locals have been extremely concerned about investors and corporations buying up homes in their relatively affordable and diverse community, especially in historically Black neighborhoods where many homes have been passed down for multiple generations.
    Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Matchmaking may be old-school, but these days its clientele is skewing younger and more diverse.
    Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The difference came down to shot-making.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Adding your mattress to your spring cleaning checklist can make a real difference.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • But his music was quite different from the pieces that Paolo introduced me to over the next year, all of which were written in the mid-eighteenth century.
    Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
  • But this year is a different story.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Humor about the pickle often stems from its distinctiveness—its tangy, assertive flavor and odd appearance lend themselves to exaggerated, whimsical depictions.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Optimal distinctiveness essentially says that people want to belong to a group and to still be unique in some way at the same time.
    K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Lubeck’s distinctive style—marked by one-of-a-kind antique stones and intricate hand-engraving work—caught Swift’s eye.
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Back in the 1930s, the founders of the club worked with Louis Alphonse Berckmans, son of the nursery’s late owner, to adorn each of the 18 holes with a distinctive species and since then some 80,000 plants and 350 different varieties have been added.
    Don Riddell, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 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
  • My own life does not feel like one continuous thing but, rather, two distinct halves that belong to two very different people.
    Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
  • With his wife, Anne, James nurtured a 40-acre ranch in Wynola, near Julian, that housed his art studio as well as visually distinct buildings that have come to be associated with James’ organic approach to architectural design.
    Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The city of Fort Worth was provided an update on Tuesday afternoon on the Small Business Development Program, a program that was developed as a result of last summer’s vote to end city programs that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
    Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
  • In 2024, Mizzou dissolved its inclusion, diversity and equity division to avoid budget cuts proposed by anti-DEI state legislators.
    Jack Harvel April 7, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Disparate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disparate. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.

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