difference
HighFormal to Informal (Common Core Vocabulary)
Definition
Meaning
The state or condition of being dissimilar or distinct; a point or way in which people or things are not the same.
The result of subtracting one number from another; a disagreement or dispute; a significant change in a situation or state.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often used to highlight distinction or contrast. Can imply disagreement ('settle our differences'), mathematics ('the difference is 5'), or a significant qualitative change ('it made a big difference').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use 'split the difference' idiomatically. Possibly a slight UK preference for 'make a difference' over US 'make a difference/make any difference'.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
difference between X and Ydifference in Xdifference of (opinion/view)make a/no/some difference to XVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “split the difference”
- “make a world of difference”
- “same difference”
- “bury the difference”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to profit margins ('the difference between cost and price'), competitive advantage ('our key difference'), or disagreements ('resolve our differences').
Academic
Used to discuss statistical variance, conceptual distinctions, or comparative analysis ('a significant difference was observed').
Everyday
Common for comparing options, opinions, or states ('What's the difference?', 'It makes no difference to me').
Technical
In mathematics: the result of subtraction. In electronics: 'potential difference' (voltage).
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The differing opinions caused a rift.
- Indifferent politicians were criticised.
American English
- The differing viewpoints stalled the debate.
- He seemed indifferent to the outcome.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Can you see the difference between these two pictures?
- It makes no difference if we go today or tomorrow.
- The main difference between the phones is the camera quality.
- A few degrees can make a big difference to fuel consumption.
- There's a subtle difference in pronunciation between the two regional accents.
- The study found a statistically significant difference in outcomes.
- The ideological differences between the factions proved irreconcilable.
- We agreed to split the difference and settle on the median price.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
DIFFERENCE = DIFFER + ENCE. If things DIFFER, they are not the same; the state of differing is the DIFFERENCE.
Conceptual Metaphor
DIFFERENCES ARE GAPS/DISTANCES (bridge the difference, a wide difference), DIFFERENCES ARE CONFLICTS (settle our differences).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'разница' directly for 'difference of opinion' which is more 'разногласие'.
- Do not use 'difference' for 'остаток' in maths (use 'remainder').
- Don't confuse 'make a difference' (влиять, иметь значение) with 'be different' (отличаться).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'There is a big difference from A and B.' Correct: '...between A and B.'
- Incorrect: 'It doesn't make difference.' Correct: '...make a difference' or '...make any difference.'
- Incorrect preposition: 'difference of' (for quality) vs. 'difference in' (for characteristic).
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase means 'to compromise by accepting an amount midway between two figures'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually countable (a difference, many differences). In fixed phrases like 'make a difference' or 'with a difference' it is singular and countable.
Typically 'between' for two items ('difference between A and B'), or 'in' for a domain ('difference in quality'). 'Of' is used in 'difference of opinion'.
It's an informal, slightly dismissive phrase meaning that although two things might not be identical, they are effectively the same in the context being discussed.
It requires an article ('a', 'no', 'some', 'any') and often takes 'to' + noun. Example: 'Volunteering can make a real difference to the community.'