unlikeness
noun
: not like: such as
a
: different from
a landscape unlike any other
b
: not characteristic of
it was unlike him to be late
c
: in a different manner from
spoke clearly, unlike the others
: in a manner that is different than : not as
Can unlike be used as a conjunction?: Usage Guide
The use of unlike as a conjunction is less common than conjunctive use of like and, while criticized, is not as frequently cited as an error. The conjunctive unlike almost always introduces a prepositional phrase.
unlike in other areas, the judiciary cannot justify its attempt … as a necessary evil
—
Alexandra M. Walsh, Stanford Law Rev.
Alexandra M. Walsh, Stanford Law Rev.
In spite of criticism, this conjunctive use of unlike is well established in both American and British English.
Examples of unlike in a Sentence
Adjective
a comparison of unlike things
you're trying to compare very unlike things—like those proverbial apples and oranges
Preposition
The plants that grow here are unlike the plants that grow where I live.
She's unlike anyone I've ever met.
Recent Examples on the Web
Rob Toews, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
This view is unlike to carry much weight with younger MAGA fans.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
However, unlike Australia’s marsupial megafauna, such as Diprotodon and the short-faced kangaroo, which vanished due to shifting climates and ecological pressures, there was no direct evidence linking the mountain pygmy possum to the same extinction timeline or causes.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlike
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
In this sense, artificial intelligence remains quite unlike, and less capable than, human intelligence.
—Rob Toews, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
This view is unlike to carry much weight with younger MAGA fans.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
Preposition
Since taking over the once-humdrum program, Sanders’ commercial profile reached a stratosphere unlike any other head coach in American sports.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
However, unlike Australia’s marsupial megafauna, such as Diprotodon and the short-faced kangaroo, which vanished due to shifting climates and ecological pressures, there was no direct evidence linking the mountain pygmy possum to the same extinction timeline or causes.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlike
Cite this Entry
“Unlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlike. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unlike
1 of 2 adjective
un·like
ˌən-ˈlīk 
ˈən-
1
: marked by differences
people are all unlike
2
: unequal sense 1a
contributed unlike amounts
unlikeness
noun
unlike
2 of 2 preposition1
: different from
feeling completely unlike a hero
2
: not typical of
it was unlike her to be late
3
: in a different manner from
behaving unlike all the other children
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