# same difference

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/same-difference
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A distinction which makes no difference; a distinction which does not matter.

## Examples

- Call it a soda or a pop, it is the same difference.
- You can walk or take the bus, but it is the same difference since both take twenty minutes.
- Whether the policy is labeled as a reform or a revision, the public views it as the same difference, given that the underlying issues remain unaddressed.

## Origin

A twentieth-century colloquialism formed as a blend of the phrases "same thing" and "no difference."

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.