Unlike
/ʌnˈlaɪk/
Definitions
2 meaningsDifferent from; dissimilar to.
/ʌnˈlaɪk/
Different from; not similar to
Unlike his sister, he enjoys playing video games.
💡 Simply: Imagine you have two toys. If one is a car and the other is a doll, they are unlike each other because they are different. 'Unlike' means 'not the same as.'
👶 For kids: It means not the same.
More Examples
The restaurant, unlike the others, was open late.
Unlike the weather forecast, it didn't rain at all.
How It's Used
"Unlike her brother, she preferred to stay home."
"Unlike the other houses, this one had a garden."
Not similar; different in nature or character.
/ʌnˈlaɪk/
Not alike; different.
The two paintings, though both landscapes, had an unlike style.
💡 Simply: When two things don't look or act the same, you can say they are 'unlike'. For example, a cat and a dog are unlike because they have different fur, sounds, and behaviors.
👶 For kids: Not the same.
More Examples
They were an unlike group of friends, with very different interests.
Her reaction was unlike what I expected.
How It's Used
"The two houses had an unlike appearance."
"They were an unlike pair, yet they worked well together."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
Unlike anything else
Completely different from anything else.
"The experience was unlike anything else I've ever known."
From Middle English *unlic, meaning 'not like', from Old English *un- ('not') + gelīc ('like').
The word 'unlike' has been used in English since the 13th century, originally derived from Old English.
Memory tip
Think of 'un-' as meaning 'not' and 'like' as meaning 'similar'.
Word Origin
"un- (not) + gelīc (like)"