difference

American  

[dif-er-uhns, dif-ruhns] / ˈdɪf ər əns, ˈdɪf rəns /

noun

• differences
  plural

1. the state or relation of being different; dissimilarity.

   There is a great difference between the two.

   Synonyms:

   contrariety, contrast, divergence, inequality, imbalance, diversity, variation, inconsistency

   Antonyms:

   agreement, similarity

2. an instance or point of unlikeness or dissimilarity.

   What accounts for the differences in their behavior?

3. a significant change in or effect on a situation.

   His tact makes a difference in the way people accept his suggestions.

4. a distinguishing characteristic; distinctive quality, feature, etc..

   The difference in the two products is quality.

5. the degree to which one person or thing differs from another.

6. the act of distinguishing; discrimination; distinction.

7. a disagreement in opinion.

8. a dispute or quarrel.

9. Also called finite distance.  Mathematics.

   1. the amount by which one quantity is greater or less than another.

   2. relative complement.

   3. (of a functionf ) an expression of the form f (x +h ) − f (x ).

10. a differentia.

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verb (used with object)

differenced, differencing

1. to cause or constitute a difference in or between; make different.

2. to perceive the difference in or between; discriminate.

idioms

1. split the difference,

   1. to compromise, especially to make equal concessions.

   2. to divide the remainder equally.

      Let's take half of the cake and let the three of them split the difference.

difference British  

/ ˈdɪfrəns, ˈdɪfərəns /

noun

1. the state or quality of being unlike

2. a specific instance of being unlike

3. a distinguishing mark or feature

4. a significant change in a situation

   the difference in her is amazing

5. a disagreement or argument

   he had a difference with his wife

6. a degree of distinctness, as between two people or things

7. 1. the result of the subtraction of one number, quantity, etc, from another

   2. the single number that when added to the subtrahend gives the minuend; remainder

8. logic another name for differentia

9. maths

   1.  A – B.  the set of members of the first that are not members of the second

   2. Often symbolized: A + B.  the set of members of one but not both of the given sets

10. heraldry an addition to the arms of a family to represent a younger branch

11. 1. to have an effect

    2. to treat differently

12. 1. to settle a dispute by a compromise

    2. to divide a remainder equally

13. with some peculiarly distinguishing quality, good or bad

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verb

1. rare to distinguish

2. heraldry to add a charge to (arms) to differentiate a branch of a family

difference More Idioms  

1. see make a difference; split the difference. Also see under different.

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Synonym Usage

Difference, discrepancy, disparity, dissimilarity imply perceivable unlikeness, variation, or diversity. Difference refers to a lack of identity or a degree of unlikeness: a difference of opinion; a difference of six inches. Discrepancy usually refers to an inconsistency between things that should agree, balance, or harmonize: a discrepancy between the statements of two witnesses. Disparity implies inequality, often where a greater equality might reasonably be expected: a great disparity between the ages of husband and wife. Dissimilarity indicates an essential lack of resemblance between things in some respect comparable: a dissimilarity between social customs in Asia and America. See distinction.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• differences
  plural

Etymology

Origin of difference

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin differentia, equivalent to different- “scattering, dispersing” ( see different ( def. )) + -ia -ia ( def. ); see -ence ( def. )

Explanation

Difference is a word for things that are not the same. Identical twins have few if any differences in appearance. If you dye your hair green, everyone is going to notice a huge difference. People often have differences of opinion. No two people are alike, so there are all kinds of differences between individuals. In math, a difference is the remainder left after subtracting one number from another. Chimps and gorillas are both apes, but there are a lot of differences between them. If something doesn't really change an outcome, you can say, "It makes no difference."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

difference differences differenced differencing

“And there is a world of difference between building something versus operating something.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

Scott says although the film is about many things, it's chiefly about "the humility of leadership, and about the difference between power and expertise".

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

Early detection can make a crucial difference to cancer survival rates, but in India many patients are diagnosed only after the disease has advanced.

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

That difference could potentially contribute to the well-documented gap in average lifespan between the sexes, although the findings do not establish that tyrosine is responsible for that gap.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 6, 2026

And the difference in intensity between her voice and the telephone caller makes it nearly impossible—Mrs. Dannenberg has her voice raised, calling out to us from her stoop.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

The way they do everything, of course, as evidenced by the siblings’ meeting in their mother’s garage, attempting to resolve their seemingly irreconcilable differences about their mother’s fate and their parts in it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

The service noted, however, significant differences between regions.

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

But he admitted both sides would have to make compromises to narrow the differences between them.

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

The credits likely wouldn’t have transferred anyway—the differences in the two education systems were vast.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

But somehow their differences don’t matter when they can unite in their shared hatred of Stu Papadopolis and his gang of evil trolls.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh

When you are dead, and stand to me Not differenced, as now, But like again, will you be cold As when we lived, or how?

From Washington Post ● Jan. 27, 2016

If a second map of the exact same area is acquired when there is no snow, the two surfaces can be differenced to produce a snow depth map.

From Scientific American ● Apr. 10, 2012

"David is a point of differenced player and we are looking forward to him making an impact at the breakdown," the Australia forwards coach, Jim Williams, said.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 23, 2010

The echo of the Karstark sunburst was there for those who cared to look, but differenced to make the arms appropriate for House Thenn.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Younger branches differenced in many ways, following no rule.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 3 "Helmont, Jean" to "Hernosand" by Various

By differencing the NH and SH they magnify the effect. 

From New York Times ● Sep. 22, 2010

An interesting example of early differencing is cited by Sir Harris Nicolas, in his ‘Roll of Carlaverok.’

From The Curiosities of Heraldry by Mark Antony Lower

Rules of general enunciation made false in the applying, by the inability of perceiving in the instance the differencing conditions which qualify the rule, or suspend it.

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 57, No. 353, March 1845 by Various

This is the earliest specimen of differencing I have met with.

From The Curiosities of Heraldry by Mark Antony Lower

In the Royal Heraldry of our own times the Bordure is not used as a Royal Difference; but its use is retained in Scotland for differencing Shields of less exalted rank.

From The Handbook to English Heraldry by R. B. Utting

Related Words

• change
• characteristic
• contrast
• discrepancy
• disparity
• distinction
• divergence
• diversity
• inequality
• variation