as in distinctiveness
the quality or state of being different
from an early age he could sense that there was an otherness about him—he was somehow different from the other kids
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of otherness
The film’s queerness extends beyond Palmer’s portrayal of out lesbian Emerald Haywood; in addition to being a commentary on the way the entertainment industry consumes us, Nope is also about otherness.
—
Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
Tower of Now acts as a visual lexicon of architectural motifs, inviting viewers to find both familiarity and otherness.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The role of the cynocephali tells us something about how medieval European thinkers conceptualized otherness and difference.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 28 Aug. 2025
This feeling of otherness is probably a large part of what led me to become a writer.
—Elena Sheppard, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for otherness
Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
Tower of Now acts as a visual lexicon of architectural motifs, inviting viewers to find both familiarity and otherness.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The role of the cynocephali tells us something about how medieval European thinkers conceptualized otherness and difference.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 28 Aug. 2025
This feeling of otherness is probably a large part of what led me to become a writer.
—Elena Sheppard, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for otherness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for otherness
Noun
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As to the non-final action, one problem for the A’s is that the marks fail to show enough distinctiveness.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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Judean culture had been transformed by Greek influence for centuries, but Antiochus attempted to quash Judean religious distinctiveness altogether.—
Joshua Shanes,
The Conversation,
11 Dec. 2025
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
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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
Noun
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These scenarios produce different outcomes, and residents deserve to see those differences before decisions are locked in.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
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One notable difference from the earlier meeting was the job Fullerton did against Cal Poly’s Peter Bandelj.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The depth and diversity of this particular Team USA squad should translate at these Winter Olympic Games into a very high return on investment indeed.—
Tim Genske,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Minnesotans have shown that their community is socially cohesive—because of its diversity and not in spite of it.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The distinction is semantic, not economic.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Yeah, so the law has this long-standing distinction between what the lawyers would call prospective relief and retrospective relief.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The creation of fewer than 5,000 new jobs is in stark contrast to 2024, when 12,300 jobs were created.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
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The relatively light impact locally stood in contrast to widespread airline warnings issued nationwide.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Otherness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/otherness. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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