2
general::
difference
a detail, fact, or quality that makes one person or thing different from another:
• We should think about the similarities between cultures, not the differences. • difference between: Try and spot the differences between these two pictures. • The difference between the two cheeses is that one is made from goat’s milk. • difference in: I don’t think there’s any difference in the way you pronounce these two words. • know the difference: He’s speaking Italian, not Spanish. Don’t you know the difference?
contrast
a very clear difference that you can easily see when you compare two things or people:
• contrast between something/somebody and something/somebody: What surprised me was the contrast between Picasso’s early style and his later work.
gap
a big difference between two amounts, two ages, or two groups of people:
• gap between: There’s a ten-year gap between Kay’s two children. • The gap between rich and poor is wider in the South than in the rest of the country. • age/gender/income etc gap: The age gap between us didn’t seem to matter until we decided to have children.
gulf
a very big difference and lack of understanding between two groups of people, especially in their beliefs, opinions, and way of life:
• gulf between somebody and somebody: More riots led to a growing gulf between the police and the communities in which they worked. • bridge/cross the gulf (= improve understanding and communication ): The central problem was how to bridge the gulf between the warring factions of the party.
disparity
formal a big difference between two groups of people or things – use this especially when you think the difference is unfair or may cause problems:
• disparity between: It is not easy to explain the disparity that still exists between the salaries of men and women. • disparity in: the disparity in wealth between the highest and the lowest employees • the economic/income etc disparity: The economic disparity between the area’s black and white citizens is a serious problem.
Longman-Thesaurus
4
general::
noun way in which people/things are not the same ADJ. big, broad, considerable, dramatic, enormous, great, huge, large, major, profound, radical, real, sharp, substantial, vast, wide A little extra care makes a big difference. I noticed a real difference in his attitude. | basic, essential, fundamental | crucial, important, key, significant | clear, distinct, marked, notable, noticeable, obvious, striking | minor, slight, subtle | national, regional | age, class, cultural, ethnic, gender, genetic, physical, psychological, racial, sex, social | historical, ideological, political | temperature, time What's the time difference between London and Tokyo? VERB + DIFFERENCE make The new central heating has made an enormous difference to the house. What difference does it make if he doesn't have a car? | mean One tiny mistake when you're climbing could mean the difference between life and death. | exaggerate, emphasize, focus on, highlight, stress, underline We should be focusing on what we have in common rather than emphasizing our differences. | appreciate, be aware of, feel, know, notice, perceive, see, spot, tell Only an expert would know the difference between the male and the female. Can you spot the difference between these two photos? It's difficult to tell the difference between butterflies and moths. | explain, illustrate | examine, explore, look at The study explores the differences between the way girls and boys talk. | show The questionnaire showed vast differences in what kind of product people want. | reflect Our different attitudes to life reflect the differences in our backgrounds. DIFFERENCE + VERB be, lie The difference lies in the way the fruit is prepared. | arise (from sth), exist The differences in size arise from the amount of sunshine each plant gets. PREP. ~ between There's a big difference between reading about skiing and doing it yourself. | ~ from He was very aware of his difference from the other children. | ~ in The difference in price is not very significant. | ~ of a crucial difference of emphasis | ~ with There is one key difference with the earlier version of the software. The difference with this information service is that it's free. PHRASES a … with a difference If you want a holiday with a difference, come to Iceland. | all the difference in the world There's all the difference in the world between choosing to do something and being forced to do it. | a great deal of/a lot difference The extra money will make a lot of difference to us. | make all the difference Just five minutes' exercise a day could make all the difference. | no difference/not much difference There's not much difference between baseball and softball. sum of money in addition to the sum expected VERB + DIFFERENCE pay If you decide you would prefer the more expensive model, you can bring this one back and pay the difference. | make up He hadn't got quite enough money, but his aunt agreed to make up the difference. | pocket He sold the car for more than he'd paid and pocketed the difference. | split (figurative) I wanted to leave early and Ian wanted to leave late, so we split the difference and left at noon. disagreement ADJ. irreconcilable, major, serious, sharp | minor, slight | outstanding This round of talks aims to resolve the outstanding differences between the two sides. VERB + DIFFERENCE have They have had some minor differences, but in general they get on well together. | make up, patch up, put aside, reconcile, resolve, settle We're going to get the two sides together to see if they can't settle their differences. DIFFERENCE + VERB arise, emerge, occur Differences may arise when the young people do not have the same expectations as their parents. | remain Although the talks were generally successful, differences remain between the groups. PREP. ~ as to/over There were some differences as to how to deal with the crisis. PHRASES a difference of opinion She and Luke had a difference of opinion over how much money they should spend. | have your differences Like any married couple, we have our differences.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary