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

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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. )

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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

You can’t question a difference you have no way of seeing.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026

In a close race, those few points can make the difference between victory and defeat for a candidate.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

The spiral's shape determines how it responds to this flow, similar to the difference between screws with right- or left-handed threads.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026

Despite the difference in fundraising and overall money going toward high school sports programs in middle to lower income areas versus the higher income suburbs, the Patriot girls’ flag football team has thrived.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026

The people who had done the persuading saw it as a sales job: They knew there was a difference between corporate and consumer loans that the rating agencies had failed to grapple with.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

The nascent operation has been taking advantage of wide price differences across providers, the types of inefficiencies that have been tougher to come by in mainstream markets such as stocks and options.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

“We have similarities running the ball but also differences too,” Williams said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

Governments have been pushed to bridge differences but progress has been slow and major breakthroughs scarce since the negotiations began on October 19.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

The discovery reveals important differences in how Jupiter and Earth respond to these incoming particles.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

Although Carville has several things in common with other Louisiana towns, there are marked differences, both positive and negative.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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

These first differences may themselves be differenced, giving the second differences Δu2 - Δu1, Δu3 - Δu2, ..., which are written Δ2u1, Δ2u2,...

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia Volume 4, Part 1: Deposition to Eberswalde by Various

By differencing the NH and SH they magnify the effect. 

From New York Times ● Sep. 22, 2010

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

The arms borne in the usual manner were often surrounded with a bordure to indicate bastardy; of this mode of differencing several examples are furnished in the arms of existing peers descended from royalty.

From The Curiosities of Heraldry by Mark Antony Lower

These Dukes bore the Royal Arms as used in the reign of George III. and not as altered for Queen Victoria, differencing the accessories as well as the Shield with their labels.

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

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

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Related Words

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

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