different
Americanadjective
-
not alike in character or quality; distinct in nature; dissimilar.
The two brothers are very different even though they're identical twins.
-
not identical; separate or distinct.
When I asked for directions, three people gave me three different answers.
-
Different people told me the same story.
- Synonyms:
- miscellaneous, divers, sundry
-
not ordinary; unusual.
I know my new hat is a bit different, but I thought I'd try it out.
adjective
-
partly or completely unlike
-
not identical or the same; other
he always wears a different tie
-
out of the ordinary; unusual
Usage
Although it is frequently claimed that different should be followed only by from, not by than, in actual usage both words occur and have for at least 300 years. From is more common today in introducing a phrase, but than is also used: New York speech is different from (or than ) that of Chicago. Than is used to introduce a clause: The stream followed a different course than the map showed. In sentences of this type, from is sometimes used instead of than; when it is, more words are necessary: a different course from the one the map showed. Regardless of the sentence construction, both from and than are standard after different in all varieties of spoken and written American English. In British English to frequently follows different : The early illustrations are very different to the later ones. The use of different in the sense “unusual” is well established in all but the most formal American English: The décor in the new restaurant is really different.
The constructions different from , different to , and different than are all found in the works of writers of English during the past. Nowadays, however, the most widely acceptable preposition to use after different is from . Different to is common in British English, but is considered by some people to be incorrect, or less acceptable. Different than is a standard construction in American English, and has the advantage of conciseness when a clause or phrase follows, as in this result is only slightly different than in the US . As, however, this idiom is not regarded as totally acceptable in British usage, it is preferable either to use different from: this result is only slightly different from that obtained in the US or to rephrase the sentence: this result differs only slightly from that in the US
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of different
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin different- (stem of differēns ), present participle of differre “to scatter, disperse”; see differ, -ent
Explanation
Something is different whether it is only a little or completely unlike something else. Not only are your two cats different breeds, but they are also different from your pet tiger. Often followed by the word than or from, different describes something that contrasts with, or differs from, something else. With roots in the Latin differre, meaning “to set apart,” different can also describe something that belongs in a whole other category. More recently, the word has picked up an additional sense — for something that is special or unique, in an extraordinary or sometimes negative way. That tie your dad has with the different kinds of peppers on it is definitely... different.
Vocabulary lists containing different
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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"Kids Like Me: Voices of the Immigrant Experience"
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"Growing Together" and "When I Grow Up"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Newsom ordered one state agency to launch a dashboard within 90 days tracking AI’s impact on employment across different sectors using data from the state’s unemployment-insurance system.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which is situated on the Ile Notre Dame in the St Lawrence Seaway alongside downtown Montreal, is a very different track from Miami.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
The San Francisco-based company was founded in 2007 and gave homeowners the opportunity to earn money by renting out their space to travelers seeking something different from a hotel.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
Stellantis announced this week a campaign around "e-cars," small electric vehicles costing at most 15,000 euros under different brands to be produced in Pomigliano d'Arco, Italy.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
It’s nothing I haven’t heard before, but this time it’s different, like he means it.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
