Home / Words / differentNo. 0099

different

/ˈdɪfərənt//ˈdɪfrənt/·adjective
not the same as another; unlike in nature, form, or degree
Fig. 1 — Two pendulums hang from one brass beam, but the right rod is plainly longer, its bob slung lower — even before anything moves, they are not a matched pair.
01Definition

Different means not the same — unlike another in nature, form, or degree. It comes from the Latin differre, 'to carry apart', the same root as differ and differentiate. It is the plain, everyday opposite of similar, and it spans the whole range from the trivial (a different colour) to the profound (a wholly different worldview). Mind the preposition: standard English prefers 'different from', though 'different to' (British) and 'different than' (American, before a clause) are both common.

02In use
  • iTheir two accounts of the night were so different that one of them had to be wrong.
  • iiA different approach might succeed where the obvious one had failed.
  • iiiTwins can look identical yet grow up utterly different in temperament.
03Collocations
  • different from
  • completely different
  • a different approach
  • no different
  • different in kind

Family difference (noun) · differently (adverb) · differ (verb)

04Relations

=dissimilar, unalike, distinct, divergent, disparate

≠similar, identical, alike, same

05Compared
PairThe difference
different vs similarthey drift apart → different; they keep the same rhythm → similar.
06TOEFL & IELTS

So common that the skill is precision: prefer 'different from' in formal writing (the safest choice for IELTS/TOEFL), and reserve 'markedly/radically different' to add weight. Don't confuse the adjective different with the verb differentiate (to mark a difference) or differ (to be unlike). 'No different from' is a clean way to deny a contrast.

07Asked
Is it 'different from', 'different than', or 'different to'?
Different from is correct everywhere and the safest choice for exams. Different to is standard British English. Different than is standard American English, especially before a clause ('different than I expected'). None is truly wrong, but in formal IELTS or TOEFL writing, different from never draws a mark against you.
When can you use 'different than'?
Mainly American usage, and mainly before a clause, where 'from' would force a clumsy rewrite: 'the result was different than we had planned' reads more smoothly than 'different from what we had planned'. Before a simple noun, though, from still wins on both sides of the Atlantic — 'different from the others', not 'different than the others'.
What is the difference between different and distinct?
Different just means not the same. Distinct adds clarity of separation — distinct things are not only different but clearly, recognisably so, with sharp edges between them ('three distinct species', 'a distinct improvement'). Two shades can be different yet hard to tell apart; if they were distinct, you could name the line between them.
What does 'no different from' mean?
It denies a contrast — 'this year is no different from last year' means they are effectively the same. It is a crisp way to reject a claimed distinction, and it keeps the standard preposition: no different from. 'No different than' is heard in American speech, but from is the cleaner written form.
What is the difference between different and differ or differentiate?
Different is the adjective (not the same); differ is the verb for being unlike ('opinions differ'); differentiate is the verb for actively marking a difference ('differentiate the two species'). One describes a state, one states the unlikeness, one does the work of telling apart. Learners most often reach for 'different' where they need differ.
What is the opposite of different?
Similar for a loose likeness, identical or the same for an exact match — different spans the whole gap between them. The scene above is difference made visible: two pendulums on one beam, one rod longer, sliding further out of step with every swing. The full contrast is on the different vs similar page in the 'Compared' list above.