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

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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

This is a season so overwhelmingly dull that it’s taken three different gay guys to recap it.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
The new four-page indictment did not add a different type of offense.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of different

Adjective

The move showcases a diverse cast of characters, showing that anyone, both old and young, model or otherwise, can wear Miu Miu.

— Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2026
Coleman says university campuses have proven especially receptive to the kiosk and provide access to a diverse group of people.

— Anna Zarra Aldrich, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of diverse

Adjective

Resnikoff fully inhabits the role of Jaku, giving him a distinctive and consistent voice, posture and temperament.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
Los Feliz’s Shakespeare Bridge, a 262-foot span with Gothic-style arches and eight distinctive turrets, is approaching its 100th anniversary.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of distinctive

Adjective

Anderson of Johns Hopkins has been working with a dozen other researchers, through grants from Arnold Ventures, to study prices more and contemplate state-level legislation that mirrors the CBO’s options.

— Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
The incident became even more troubling after reports that models had turned up on a dozen other websites.

— Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of other

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“Unlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlike. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unlike

adjective

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