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Definition of differ

differ

/ˈdɪf.ɚ/
dif · fer
Adverb:differently
•
Adjective:different
•
Past Simple:differed
•
Past Participle:differed
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Present Participle:differing
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differ Lexical Profile

differ Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To be unlike or dissimilar in nature, form, or quality.

Example

"The two dialects differ significantly in their pronunciation of vowel sounds."

2

To disagree or hold a contrary opinion.

Example

"Historians continue to differ over the primary causes of the economic collapse."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for differ
Antonyms
View all antonyms for differ

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse with the near-homophone 'defer', which means to postpone or to yield respectfully to another's judgment; both share the same Latin root but diverged in meaning.

• Rhymes for differ

• Nearby Words

dietes
dietetic
dietitian
differ
difference
different
differential

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French 'diferer', from Latin 'differre' ('to carry apart, scatter, or be different'), formed from 'dis-' ('apart') and 'ferre' ('to bear or carry').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Differ. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/differ
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