Synonym Chooser

How is the word disparate different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of disparate are different, divergent, diverse, and various. While all these words mean "unlike in kind or character," disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.

disparate notions of freedom

When can different be used instead of disparate?

The words different and disparate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness.

different foods

When is it sensible to use divergent instead of disparate?

In some situations, the words divergent and disparate are roughly equivalent. However, divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation.

went on to pursue divergent careers

In what contexts can diverse take the place of disparate?

While the synonyms diverse and disparate are close in meaning, diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.

such diverse interests as dancing and football

When could various be used to replace disparate?

While in some cases nearly identical to disparate, various stresses the number of sorts or kinds.

tried various methods

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disparate Far from a jumble of disparate elements—this is not your average jukebox—the show is a poignant, rousing evocation of a country caught in the crosshairs of history and of the art that can heal its wounds. Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2025 Their happenstance meeting during an afternoon prison visit gives way to an unlikely dynamic that gets ever thornier the more their two disparate worlds collide. Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025 But the two films’ appeal to disparate audiences worry experts and even one of the movie’s makers, who say the rivalry offers one more example of a fractured and polarized culture. Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025 Still, deploying LLMs in real world healthcare settings – especially across disparate clinical environments – is no easy feat. Seth Joseph, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disparate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disparate
Adjective
  • The survey offers a detailed portrait of a diverse and evolving Jewish community and its religious beliefs, political identities and migration patterns.
    Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Melbourne’s food scene celebrates its diverse population, and the city’s history is told through its restaurants.
    Acacia Gabriel, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • New York is estimated to have over 100 different types of trees, with the most common kinds being birch, maple and beech trees.
    Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Texas lawmakers are looking to rein in access to products that contain THC, but the House and Senate could take somewhat different approaches.
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • This distinctive hue, paler in the center and deeper around the edges, evokes the shimmering beauty of alpine glaciers and lakes and the change in their reflections as the light changes and time passes.
    Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2025
  • These minerals vary depending on the spring, giving sparkling water its distinctive taste profiles—from softly bubbly and subtly salty to bracingly effervescent with a sharp minerality.
    Emily Price, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Justice Department is considering a plan to merge the ATF and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), both of which often collaborate but have distinct missions.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The title drop, when a line of dialogue references the film’s title, is a delicate art with a distinct cult following.
    Donald Liebenson, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Disparate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disparate. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on disparate

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