# different

/ˈdɪfɝənt/ (US) · /dˈɪfɹənt/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. not the same

adjective · CEFR A1

not the same as another person or thing.

For teachers: not identical; exhibiting a lack of similarity in character, form, or nature.

- The two brothers are very different even though they look alike.
- The results of the second experiment were remarkably different from the initial findings, suggesting that the temperature variable had been underestimated.

Usage: Commonly followed by the preposition 'from'.

### 2. various or many

adjective · CEFR A2

used to talk about many separate or various things.

For teachers: referring to various or assorted items within a group; distinct and separate.

- We visited three different museums during our trip to London.
- The committee heard testimony from twelve different experts, each representing a unique sector of the renewable energy industry.

Usage: Often follows a number or a determiner like 'several' or 'many'.

### 3. unusual

adjective · CEFR B1

not like most other things; special or unusual.

For teachers: distinctive or unusual in a way that sets the subject apart from the norm.

- I like her style; it is very different and creative.
- The director's approach to the classic play was certainly different, incorporating modern technology into a sixteenth-century setting.

### 4. in a different way

adverb · CEFR B2 · Informal

in a way that is not the same.

For teachers: functioning as a manner adverb meaning 'differently'; common in specific collocations like 'think different'.

- You need to look at the problem different if you want to solve it.
- The marketing campaign encouraged consumers to think different, challenging the established conventions of the personal computer industry.

Teaching tip: While 'differently' is the standard adverb, 'different' is frequently used as an adverb in informal speech and famous advertising slogans.

## Examples

- The two brothers have very different personalities.
- I tried on three different pairs of shoes before I found the ones that fit perfectly.
- The researchers observed that the control group produced significantly different results compared to the participants who received the experimental treatment.

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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.