Did you know?

Click any word in a definition or example to find the entry for that word

unlike

 - definition
Close

What are red words?

90% of the time, speakers of English use just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words appear in red, and are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, two-star words are more frequent, and three-star words are the most frequent.

Close

Thesaurus

The thesaurus of synonyms and related words is fully integrated into the dictionary entries. Click on the T button in an entry to review the synonyms and related words for that meaning.

more
adjective, preposition British English pronunciation: unlike /ʌnˈlaɪk/
Unlike can be used in the following ways:
as a preposition (followed by a noun): Her last book is unlike anything else she has written.
as an adjective: The two boys are as unlike as any two brothers could be.
 
  1. 1
    different from someone or something else

    The show was unlike anything we’d ever seen before.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  unlikeThesaurus entry for this meaning of unlike
    1. a.
      used for introducing a sentence or phrase

      Unlike most actors, Harris is a rather shy man.

      The festival has been a great success, unlike last year when it rained non-stop.

  2. 2
    not typical of a particular person or thing

    It’s so unlike Mary to go off somewhere without telling someone.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  unlikeThesaurus entry for this meaning of unlike

phrase

This is the British English definition of unlike. View American English definition of unlike.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

 

vocal fry

a speech habit in which a speaker lowers their voice at the end of a sentence

BuzzWord Article

Word of the Day Word of the Day

dray

a type of cart pulled by a horse and used in the past for carrying barrels of beer

Open Dictionary

conflict mineral

a mineral which is mined in a place where there is armed conflict, and sold to help pay for weapons

add a word

Blog

A must for anyone with an interest in the changing face of language. The Macmillan Dictionary blog explores English as it is spoken around the world today.

global English and language change from our blog