1
Core quality
Not alike in relevant qualities, form, character, or type.
Example
The two materials look similar but have dissimilar properties.
dissimilar
/dɪˈsɪmɪlə/ · dih-SIM-ih-luradjective
Not alike in relevant qualities, form, character, or type.
Use dissimilar to express this relationship precisely: not alike in relevant qualities, form, character, or type.
What dissimilar Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Attributive or predicative use
Use this adjective before a suitable noun or after a linking verb such as be or seem.
Example
Because the studies used dissimilar samples, direct comparison is difficult.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact descriptive quality matters; a related word may overlap without conveying the same trait.
Example
Their conclusions arose from highly dissimilar methods.
Use dissimilar Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The two materials look similar but have dissimilar properties.
Because the studies used dissimilar samples, direct comparison is difficult.
Their conclusions arose from highly dissimilar methods.
Precision Matters
Dissimilar overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
dissimilar
vs.Means not alike in relevant qualities, form, character, or type.
comparable
Means similar enough in relevant qualities, scale, or type to allow a meaningful comparison.
dissimilar
vs.Means not alike in relevant qualities, form, character, or type.
analogous
Means similar or comparable in relevant respects, though not necessarily identical.
dissimilar
vs.Means not alike in relevant qualities, form, character, or type.
polar
Means directly opposite in character, position, or effect.
dissimilar
vs.Means not alike in relevant qualities, form, character, or type.
disparate
Means fundamentally different from one another.
Test dissimilar in Context
The structures are unlike one another in important respects.
1
The fossils were found together, but their ___ structures suggest that they belong to different species.