Difference and different are related words, but they do different jobs in a sentence. Difference is a noun: it names a way in which things are not the same. Different is an adjective: it describes something that is not the same as another thing. Choosing between them is mainly a matter of grammar, while choosing a preposition after different can depend on the sentence and the variety of English.
The Short Answer: Difference Is a Noun, Different Is an Adjective
Use difference when you are naming or discussing a distinction. Use different when you are describing a person, object, idea, or situation as unlike another one.
- Noun: There is a difference between the two plans.
- Adjective: The plans are different.
- Noun in a question: What is the difference between these versions?
- Adjective before a noun: We chose a different version.
A useful editing test is to ask what the sentence needs. If it needs the name of a distinction, choose difference. If it needs a word describing a noun or subject, choose different. They are not interchangeable, even though they express connected ideas.
Meaning and Word Class
Difference means a way in which people or things are unlike, or the amount or nature of that unlikeness. It is a noun and can be used with an article or a modifier: a noticeable difference, the main difference, or little difference. It can also be plural when referring to more than one distinction: The report explains several differences.
Different means not the same as another person or thing, or not of the same kind. It is an adjective. It can appear before a noun, as in a different route, or after a linking verb, as in the route is different. It can also stand after words such as something or anything: She wanted something different.
In everyday use, different can also suggest that something is unusual or unlike what someone expected. In That was a different kind of meeting, the word marks a contrast; in That was different, the speaker may mean that the experience felt unusual. The exact shade of meaning comes from context.
Origins of Difference and Different
The words share a Latin origin. Difference came into English through French from Latin differentia, meaning a distinction or difference. Different came through French from the Latin form differentem, meaning differing or unlike. Both are connected to Latin differre, a verb meaning to differ or carry apart.
The shared history explains why the words have related meanings, but it does not make them the same part of speech. English uses the noun difference to name the distinction and the adjective different to describe what is distinguished. Their spelling also follows different forms: the noun ends in -ence, while the adjective ends in -ent.
How to Use Difference in a Sentence
The noun appears in several common patterns. One frequent construction is the difference between A and B, which identifies a contrast: The difference between the copies is the final paragraph. Use difference in when naming the area or quality that varies: There is a difference in tone. The phrase make a difference means to have an effect or to matter: A clear label can make a difference to the reader.
Difference can refer to a measurable amount, but it does not always do so. In The difference is small, it may refer to a degree that can be measured. In They have a difference of opinion, it means disagreement. In Her help made a difference, it means that her help had a meaningful effect. These uses are related but require attention to the surrounding words.
When comparing specific items, the usual structure is the difference between them, not the different between them. For example, write We discussed the difference between the old design and the new one. If the sentence instead describes the designs, write The old and new designs are different.
How to Use Different in a Sentence
As an adjective, different can come directly before the noun it describes: They took a different approach. It can also follow a linking verb such as be, seem, or look: The result seems different or The rooms look different. The adjective describes a contrast, but it does not by itself state exactly what the contrast is. Add context when the reader needs to know: The rooms look different in natural light.
Use different from to identify the comparison: This result is different from the one we expected. The comparison may be with a noun, pronoun, or clause. A related word is differently, the adverb form, which describes how an action is performed: They approached the problem differently. Avoid using different as an adverb in standard edited English, as in They approached it different; use differently instead.
Different From, Different Than, or Different To?
All three prepositions occur after different, but their acceptability and naturalness vary with context and regional usage. Different from is widely accepted and is a reliable choice in formal writing across varieties of English: Her explanation was different from mine.
Different than is also established, especially in American English. It is particularly handy before a clause: The result was different than I had expected. Some readers prefer different from what I had expected, and that version is also clear. In careful writing, choose the construction that makes the comparison easy to follow rather than treating different than as automatically incorrect.
Different to is common in British and Australian English, as in This version is different to the earlier one. It is standard in those varieties, though speakers elsewhere may find different from more familiar. If you are writing for a broad international audience, different from is often the least distracting option.
- Use different from for a broadly accepted comparison.
- Use different than naturally when it introduces a clause, particularly in American English.
- Use different to when it fits the regional English you are writing or speaking.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
A common mistake is using the adjective where a noun is required. The different between the options is clear is not standard in this meaning. Write The difference between the options is clear. Conversely, They have a difference opinion needs the adjective: They have a different opinion.
Another problem is confusing different with differently. Because different describes a noun or subject, it cannot normally describe the manner of an action. Write The teams worked differently, not The teams worked different, in standard edited prose. In casual speech, some speakers do use forms like worked different; that informal usage does not make it the preferred form in formal writing.
Be precise about the comparison, too. The second draft is different is grammatical, but the reader may wonder different from what. If the comparison matters, name it: The second draft is different from the version we reviewed yesterday. Likewise, There is a difference may be too vague when the reader needs to know whether the difference concerns cost, meaning, format, or another feature.
Examples in Context
- Work: “The new schedule is different from the old one.” Different describes the schedule; from introduces the comparison.
- Learning: “The difference in pronunciation changes the meaning.” Difference names a distinction in one particular feature.
- Planning: “We need a different route because the usual road is closed.” The adjective describes the route being chosen.
- Discussion: “They have a difference of opinion about the best approach.” The noun is part of a conventional expression for disagreement.
- Revision: “The revised explanation reads differently.” The adverb describes how the explanation reads.
These examples show why the surrounding grammar is more useful than the shared meaning alone. The sentence may discuss the same contrast, but the word form changes depending on whether the sentence names it, describes it, or tells how something happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “difference” a noun or an adjective?
Difference is a noun. It names a distinction or contrast, as in There is a difference in size. The adjective is different, as in The sizes are different.
Is “different than” grammatically correct?
Yes. Different than is an established construction, especially in American English and before a clause, as in The ending was different than I expected. Different from is also correct and is broadly accepted in formal writing.
Should I write “different from” or “different to”?
Both are used in standard English. Different from is widely familiar across regions, while different to is particularly common in British and Australian English. Match the variety of English you are using, or choose different from for a broadly understood formal option.
What is the difference between “different” and “differently”?
Different is an adjective that describes a noun or subject: The answer is different. Differently is an adverb that describes an action or manner: She answered differently.
Is “a difference of opinion” the same as “a different opinion”?
They are related but not identical. A difference of opinion usually means that people disagree. A different opinion describes one opinion as unlike another; it may indicate disagreement, but the phrase itself does not necessarily say that people are arguing.