# differ

/ˈdɪfɝ/ (US) · /dˈɪfɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/differ
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. to disagree

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to have a different opinion from someone else.

For teachers: to hold a different opinion or to be at variance. Often used in the polite phrase 'I beg to differ'.

- I'm sorry, but I must differ with you on that point.
- Medical experts continue to differ on the long-term effects of the new treatment, leading to a delay in its general approval.

### 3. file difference

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a program or result that shows the differences between two computer files.

For teachers: a software utility that compares two files and outputs the differences between them; also the output itself. Often used as a shortened form of 'difference'.

- You can run a differ to see what changed in the code since yesterday.
- After the merge conflict occurred, the developer used a differ to identify the specific lines of code that were causing the incompatibility.

Usage: Often used as a verb in the same context to mean 'to run a comparison'.

## Examples

- The two brothers differ in their taste in music.
- The results of the second experiment differ significantly from the first one due to the change in temperature.
- While the core mechanics of the two software packages are identical, they differ primarily in how they handle user data and cloud synchronization.

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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.