unlike

[ uhn-lahyk ]

adjective

1. different, dissimilar, or unequal; not alike:

   They contributed unlike sums to charity.

preposition

1. dissimilar to; different from:

   She is unlike my sister in many ways.

2. not typical or characteristic of:

   It is unlike her to enjoy herself so much.

noun

1. a person or thing differing from another or others.

unlike

/ ʌnˈlaɪk /

adjective

1. not alike; dissimilar or unequal; different
2. archaic.
   unlikely

preposition

1. not like; not typical of

   unlike his father, he lacks intelligence

Derived Forms

• unˈlikeness, noun

Other Words From

• un·likeness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unlike¹

First recorded in 1150–1200, unlike is from the Middle English word unlik. See un- ¹, like ¹

Example Sentences

When she resigned in 2019, she did so on good terms with Trump — unlike many appointees — and later became the chair of the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-connected policy think tank.

From Los Angeles Times

But unlike nitrogen, another critical soil nutrient, phosphorus is a non-renewable resource with limited geological deposits, meaning that once it moves from land to water, it can't get back into the land.

From Science Daily

What is special about Platynereis dumerilii is that, unlike other species, regeneration in marine worms does not rely on existing stem cells.

From Science Daily

Turkey does not consider Hamas a terrorist organisation - unlike Israel, the US, the UK and many other Western countries - and members of the group often spend time there.

From BBC

But unlike any other known pulsar, Medvedev said the Crab Pulsar features a zebra pattern -- unusual band spacing in the electromagnetic spectrum proportional to band frequencies, and other weird features like high polarization and stability.

From Science Daily