different
[ dif-er-uhnt, dif-ruhnt ]
/ ˈdɪf ər ənt, ˈdɪf rənt /
adjective
not alike in character or quality; distinct in nature; dissimilar: The two brothers are very different, although they are identical twins.
not identical; separate or distinct: When I asked for directions, three people gave me three different answers.
various; several: Different people told me the same story.
not ordinary; unusual: I know my new hat is a bit different, but I thought I'd try it out.
Origin of different
SYNONYMS FOR different
synonym study for different
3. See
various.
usage note for different
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.
OTHER WORDS FROM different
dif·fer·ent·ly, adverb dif·fer·ent·ness, noun un·dif·fer·ent, adjective un·dif·fer·ent·ly, adverbWords nearby different
Example sentences from the Web for differently
British Dictionary definitions for differently
different
/ (ˈdɪfərənt, ˈdɪfrənt) /
adjective
partly or completely unlike
not identical or the same; other
he always wears a different tie
out of the ordinary; unusual
Derived forms of different
differently, adverb differentness, nounusage for 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
Idioms and Phrases with differently
different