UNLIKE Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

unlike

adjective

ˌən-ˈlīk

Definition of unlike

as in different

being not of the same kind you're trying to compare very unlike things—like those proverbial apples and oranges

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unlike The plan is unlike to pass in its current form, and some environmental groups and Democrats already vow to oppose it. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2026 Or the move could have been to help the calf stay afloat—unlike adults, young sperm whales tend to sink and need to swim harder to reach the surface to breathe. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026 Extreme cold is especially dangerous for donkeys because unlike horses, donkeys don’t have the natural oils in their coats that repel moisture, Vargas said. — Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 26 Jan. 2026 What’s more, plastic—unlike glass and aluminum—loses its functionality when it’s recycled. — Judith Enck, Time, 1 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unlike

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlike

Adjective

Its ability to clean floors, walls, waterlines and slopes gives it versatility across different cleaning requirements, while the dual filtration system and large debris basket support longer cleaning sessions.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
He was considered odd, super-smart with a photographic memory, and yet different.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of different

Adjective

The album earned widespread critical acclaim for its intricate arrangements and the distinctive interplay between Lloyd’s and Verlaine’s guitars.

— Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 7 Nov. 2026
By the time of their 1974 debut at CBGB, Verlaine and Hell had recruited Lloyd to be the group’s second guitarist, a move that gave Television its signature and distinctive dueling Strat-versus-Jazzmaster sound.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of distinctive

Adjective

All rooms have private pools and decks, and are connected to distinct, individual communal areas with pools, firepits, and dining areas.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
Variant analysis identified 948 distinct vulnerabilities behind those exploits.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of distinct

Adjective

The University of Washington chapter of Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return, or SUPER UW, spearheaded a May 2024 encampment at the Seattle campus with other groups, according to reports and SUPER UW’s statements.

— Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 9 Nov. 2026
They were photographed together both at a bar with other suppliers and then also out to dinner with some other executives.

— Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 9 Nov. 2026