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dissimilar

American  
[dih-sim-uh-ler, dis-sim-] / dɪˈsɪm ə lər, dɪsˈsɪm- /

adjective

  1. not similar; unlike; different.

    Synonyms:
    individual, diverse, disparate, distinct
dissimilar British  
/ dɪˈsɪmɪlə /

adjective

  1. not alike; not similar; different

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • dissimilarly adverb

Etymology

Origin of dissimilar

First recorded in 1615–25; dis- 1 + similar

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.

BTS has issued a different but not dissimilar concept with “Arirang.”

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

It is dissimilar to a historic home run because a baseball leaves the field of play, and the owner becomes the fortunate fan.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Yet again, however, the dissimilar qualities start to feel like echoes.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

Considering Red Bull had to build a powertrains factory from literally nothing in this period, and recruit an entirely new staff, their timeline is not that dissimilar from Honda's.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

And if our bodies are dissimilar, our points of view are even more so.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

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.