unlike
Americanadjective
preposition
-
dissimilar to; different from.
She is unlike my sister in many ways.
-
not typical or characteristic of.
It is unlike her to enjoy herself so much.
noun
adjective
-
not alike; dissimilar or unequal; different
-
archaic unlikely
preposition
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unlike
First recorded in 1150–1200, unlike is from the Middle English word unlik. See un- 1, like 1
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.
Once installed, the technology produces no carbon dioxide, and unlike other renewables such as solar or wind power is not weather-dependent, Nakagawa said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
The vast majority of water utilities in the US are publicly run, unlike most other critical infrastructure.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Crucially, the negative value of the weakly measured dwell time cannot be explained by imagining that only the front of the photon’s pulse gets through, unlike the time inferred from the arrival time.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
A bonus with an HSA is that you don’t need to spend the contributions each year, unlike a healthcare flexible savings account.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
“And unlike you, I can leave whenever I wish.”
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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.
