differ
Americanverb (used without object)
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differs,
present (3rd person singular)
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differed,
past participle, past
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differing
present participle
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to be unlike, dissimilar, or distinct in nature or qualities (often followed byfrom ).
The two writers differ greatly in their perceptions of the world. Each writer's style differs from that of another.
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to disagree in opinion, belief, etc.; be at variance; disagree (often followed by with orfrom ).
His business partner always differs with him.
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Obsolete. to dispute; quarrel.
verb
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(often foll by from) to be dissimilar in quality, nature, or degree (to); vary (from)
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to be at variance (with); disagree (with)
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dialect to quarrel or dispute
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to end an argument amicably while maintaining differences of opinion
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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differsimple
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differssimple
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have differedperfect
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has differedperfect
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am differingprogressive
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are differingprogressive
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is differingprogressive
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have been differingperfect progressive
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has been differingperfect progressive
Past
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differedsimple
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had differedperfect
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was differingprogressive
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were differingprogressive
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had been differingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of differ
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English differren “to distinguish,” from Middle French differer “to put off, distinguish,” Latin differre “to bear apart, scatter, be different,” from dif- dif- + ferre “to bear, bring, carry”
Explanation
To differ is to be different, or to vary. Your list of favorite movies might differ from your sister's, especially if you like romantic comedies and she likes action films. Gas prices differ from state to state, and sometimes even from one side of the street to the other. Opinions on politics can often differ within a single family, and sometimes food preferences differ so much that no one can decide where to eat lunch. The verb differ can mean simply "be unlike," but it can also mean "clash" or "dissent." The Latin root, differre, combines dis, "away from," with ferre, "carry."
Vocabulary lists containing differ
"Making Faces"
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Shut Up, This Is Serious
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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.
See Examples For:
Prices differ from dealer to dealer in the same state, sometimes in the same town, and the dealer who charged you last year is not entitled to your loyalty this year.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
The underlying funds differ, but the common theme of complex or active ETFs is a fast track to investing success.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Understanding how the left and right nerve clusters differ could eventually help physicians determine which side should be targeted for the greatest benefit.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026
Some of Raman’s constituents beg to differ, saying her office has seemed unwilling to help with a broad array of city services, including fixing broken sidewalks and removing homeless encampments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
Truly domesticated animals differ in various ways from their wild ancestors.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Chemical analyses also showed that volcanic material from this dome and other more recent activity differs in composition from the material released during Kikai's giant eruption.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
This is where Goldie’s approach differs most from traditional advice that relies on the output from financial-planning software.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
Mr. Hyden reminds us that a band’s reputation differs from generation to generation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
LRD differs from luxury tax payrolls, which are based on the average annual value of every player contract on the 40-man roster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026
Children’s musical play differs from teacher-structured play in an educational setting.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
But Frimpong wrote that the new request differed from the earlier one in its evidence, legal theories and proposed relief.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
The first experiment involved playing a series of repeating tones, occasionally interrupted by a sound that differed from the others.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026
Fusionists were liberals, but their liberalism differed from that of the progressives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
All 19 top Fed officials were united in their decision to raise the central bank’s benchmark interest rate to a range of 3.75% to 4% — but they differed on their reasons for the move.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
But the only way the job really differed from a normal taxi run was that the chaps she picked up obviously weren’t pilots.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
He called for a "mature" discussion on an apology and reparations, pointing to differing measures from debt relief, to finance for education and healthcare, and even climate adaptation.
From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026
Airlines face a patchwork of often differing advisories, including from regulators, intelligence agencies and private-security consultants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Safety issues are often subjective, and there are differing industry views of the 737 MAX software glitch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
Speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, ap Iorweth acknowledged the differing contexts.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
China’s size and ecological diversity spawned many separate local cultures, distinguishable archaeologically by their differing styles of pottery and artifacts.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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