differently

American  

[dif-er-uhnt-lee, dif-ruhnt‐] / ˈdɪf ər ənt li, ˈdɪf rənt‐ /

adverb

1. in a manner unlike another in character or quality; dissimilarly.

   This home alarm system works differently from the one in your office.

2. in a way unlike a previous way.

   I’m looking at life differently these days.

3. in diverse ways; variously.

   Several of the sauces look similar, but they are differently flavored.

4. in an atypical way; unusually.

   Dressing differently is just part of her bohemian style.

---

Etymology

Origin of differently

First recorded in 1350–1400; different ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

"Open-source" or "open-weight" models work differently: the developers release the model's core files for anyone to download, modify and run on their own computers.

From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026

The researchers originally set out to better understand why strange metals behave so differently from conventional materials.

From Science Daily • Jul. 8, 2026

You could structure your day differently too, and take a southern European approach to eating.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

“But coming to the text again now, you have a slightly different perspective. It reads differently as a middle-aged man. It’s more about love and loss, a middle-aged love story.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026

“We do things a little differently here. Our staff and student group in the mountain is so small that the formality of the Academy felt out of place, so we have all relaxed a bit.”

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• individually
• negatively
• separately
• variously