dis ‧ sim ‧ i ‧ lar AC /dɪˈsɪmələ, dɪˈsɪmɪlə, dɪsˈsɪ- $ -ər/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ similarity ≠ ↑ dissimilarity ; adverb : ↑ similarly ; adjective : ↑ similar ≠ ↑ dissimilar ]
not the same OPP similar
dissimilar to
Madonna’s career is not dissimilar to (=is quite similar to) Cher’s.
—dissimilarity /dɪˌsɪməˈlærəti, dɪˌsɪmɪˈlærəti, dɪsˌsɪ-/ noun [uncountable and countable] :
dissimilarities between the US and Britain
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THESAURUS
▪ different if something or someone is different, they are not like something or someone else, or they are not like they were before:
You look different. Have you had your hair cut?
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We’ve painted the door a different colour.
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The cultures of the two countries are very different.
▪ unique very different, special, or unusual and the only one of its kind. Don’t use words such as very before unique :
The book is certainly very rare, and possibly unique.
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the unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands
▪ distinctive having a special feature or appearance that makes something different from other things, and makes it easy to recognize:
Male birds have distinctive blue and yellow markings.
▪ unlike [prep] completely different from a particular person or thing:
In Britain, unlike the United States, the government provides health care.
▪ have nothing in common if two people have nothing in common, they do not have the same interests or opinions and therefore cannot form a friendly relationship:
Apart from the fact that we went to the same school, we have absolutely nothing in common.
▪ there’s no/little resemblance used when saying that two people or things seem very different:
There’s no resemblance between the two sisters at all.
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The final product bore no resemblance to the original proposal (=it was very different) .
▪ dissimilar formal not the same as something else:
These four politically dissimilar states have all signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation.
▪ be like chalk and cheese British English informal if two people are like chalk and cheese, they are completely different:
It’s hard to believe that they’re brothers – they’re like chalk and cheese!
▪ be (like) apples and oranges American English informal used when saying that two people or things are very different:
You can't compare residential and commercial real estate markets. It's apples and oranges.
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Obama and Romney are apples and oranges.
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Comparing homemade soup to canned soup is really comparing apples and oranges.