differ
verb
dif·fer
| \ ˈdi-fər
\
\
differed;
differing\ ˈdi-f(ə-)riŋ
\
\
Definition of differ
1a
: to be unlike or distinct in nature, form, or characteristics
the law of one state differs from that of another
b
: to change from time to time or from one instance to another : vary
the number of cookies in a box may differ
2
: to be of unlike or opposite opinion : disagree
they differ on religious matters I beg to differ with your interpretation.
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Examples of differ in a Sentence
The two schools differ in their approach to discipline.
my brother and I differ markedly in the way we handle money
Recent Examples on the Web
Their business models differ, as do the antitrust arguments against them. — New York Times, "How Each Big Tech Company May Be Targeted by Regulators," 8 Sep. 2019 The economic impact of a football and a basketball team differ due to the difference in frequency of play. — Fortune, "Could Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham, Jr. Be Worth More to Cleveland Than LeBron?," 7 Sep. 2019 The antlerless deer bag limits differ between deer management regions. — Baltimore Sun Staff, baltimoresun.com, "Trainer Anthony Aguirre Jr. earns first win on opening day at Laurel Park," 6 Sep. 2019 Their approaches differ, too, reflecting their roots. — The Economist, "Technology firms vie for billions in data-analytics contracts," 5 Sep. 2019 Crime rates and policing practices differ across communities, as do the historical legacies that influence them. — Lynne Peeples, Scientific American, "What the Data Say about Police Shootings," 5 Sep. 2019 The candidates also differed on the issue of nuclear power, which currently generates an estimated one-fifth of U.S. electricity. — Elana Schor, BostonGlobe.com, "Democratic candidates focus on climate change in town halls," 5 Sep. 2019 Opinions differ on what that future should look like. — Joe Rubino, The Denver Post, "Redevelopment of Loretto Heights could transform southwest Denver, this month City Council will weigh a plan that lays out that vision," 2 Sep. 2019 The two games differ not just in equipment and rules, but also on a deeper level. — Evelyn Lillemoe / St. Paul Academy, Twin Cities, "ThreeSixty Journalism: Native lacrosse mixes competition and ceremony," 31 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'differ.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for differ
differ
verb
English Language Learners Definition of differ
: to be different
: to have opinions that don't agree
See the full definition for differ in the English Language Learners Dictionary
differ
verb
dif·fer
| \ ˈdi-fər
\
\
differed;
differing
Kids Definition of differ
1
: to be unlike : be different
“And so, as we differ from all ordinary people, let us become friends.”— L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz
2
: disagree sense 1
We differ on how best to proceed.
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