unlike
uhn-LYK
Unlike (preposition) means Different from; in contrast to. Example: “Unlike her brother, she loves spicy food.”
preposition
1
Different from; in contrast to.
"Unlike her brother, she loves spicy food."
"Unlike last year, the festival was held indoors."
"Unlike most cats, ours enjoys a bath once a week."
adjective
1
Not similar; dissimilar.
"The two paintings are strikingly unlike."
"The twins look alike, but their personalities are quite unlike."
"Their opinions on food are completely unlike, so choosing a restaurant takes ages."
verb
1
To remove a previously given "like" on social media.
"She unliked the post after the argument."
"If you change your mind about a video, you can simply unlike it."
"He accidentally unliked her photo and hoped she would not notice."
How to use unlike
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDifferent from something, or (as a social-media verb) to undo a "like."
Common pairings
unlike most people
unlike anything else
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Word forms
- Plural
- unlikes
- Third person singular
- unlikes
- Past tense
- unliked
- Comparative
- more unlike
- Superlative
- most unlike
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ her brother, she loves spicy food.
Etymology
From Old English unlic, "unlike, dissimilar," from "un-" + "like."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for unlike
See all rhymes for unlike →Frequently asked questions
What does “unlike” mean?
The word “unlike” means different from; in contrast to. In plain terms, different from something, or (as a social-media verb) to undo a "like.".
How do you pronounce “unlike”?
“Unlike” is pronounced uhn-LYK (/ʌnˈlaɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “unlike” in a sentence?
Here is “unlike” used in a sentence: “Unlike her brother, she loves spicy food.”
What part of speech is “unlike”?
Depending on how it is used, “unlike” can be a preposition, an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “unlike” come from?
The word “unlike” comes from Old English. From Old English unlic, "unlike, dissimilar," from "un-" + "like.".
Is “unlike” a common word?
“Unlike” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “unlike” have?
“Unlike” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: different from; in contrast to.
What is the difference between unlike and dislike?
They are unrelated despite looking similar. Unlike is a preposition meaning different from or in contrast to, as in 'unlike his brother.' Dislike is a verb or noun meaning to not like something, as in 'I dislike loud music.' Only the spelling of the first syllable connects them.
What is an example of unlike in a sentence?
'Unlike her sister, she enjoys team sports' shows a contrast between two people. Other examples include 'This phone, unlike the old one, is waterproof' and 'It was unlike him to be late.' The word introduces a difference between one thing and another.
What is the opposite of unlike?
The opposite is like, meaning similar to or in the same way as. 'Unlike his father, he is quiet' shows difference; 'like his father, he is quiet' shows similarity. Other opposites include similar to, resembling, and comparable to, depending on the sentence.
Is unlike a preposition or an adjective?
It can be both. As a preposition it means different from, as in 'unlike the others.' As an adjective it means not alike, as in 'the two are quite unlike.' This entry covers the more common prepositional use that draws a contrast between things.
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