differently
Americanadverb
-
in a manner unlike another in character or quality; dissimilarly.
This home alarm system works differently from the one in your office.
-
in a way unlike a previous way.
I’m looking at life differently these days.
-
in diverse ways; variously.
Several of the sauces look similar, but they are differently flavored.
-
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Kang views investment in infrastructure as part of a wider remit to ensure female athletes are no longer treated differently from their male counterparts.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Can this help us make sense of the dementia patient’s behavior and think differently about them—to think of them, perhaps, with tenderness?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
A chemistry concept taught to generations of students may need to be explained very differently, according to an international team of researchers who say a long-accepted textbook description does not match modern evidence.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
The limited research available offers some indications that children and adults process AI interactions differently.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
I wonder if Daddy got tired of stories for a second and just let his words come out differently, the way I do.
From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
