Answer: When is it appropriate to use "different from" vs. "different than"?

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orion117 asks us: When is it appropriate to use “different from” vs. “different than”? Or, as I like to put it: Is “different than” different from “different from”? (Meanwhile, “different to” is standing over in the corner there, all overlooked and forlorn. And rightly so, too, considering it’s a rarely-used variant which will only confuse things here.)

(With examples from Harry Potter)

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage¹ has many interesting things to say on the subject. Originally, “different” was paired with “to” or “unto”, neither of which are used much these days. Unluckily for “different to”, it was to end up derided as incorrect, although often used in speech. This leaves us, naturally, with the alternatives of “different from” and “different than”.

But enough about their sketchy origins – what’s their purpose?

When we use the word “different” we’re signalling an approaching comparison. We have two things which differ in some way and we’re about to explain how. For example:

Harry and Hermione have both cast spells. Whereas Harry’s failed catastrophically, Hermione’s went off without a hitch. They’re different, hence: Harry’s spell was different from Hermione’s.

Why “different from”? What’s wrong with “different than”?

Well, firstly: I’m an Australian. This means I live in a nice warm country with lots of beaches and a slight case of drought. It also means I tend to use “different from” and view “different than” as an American idiosyncrasy.

However, there’s another, less geographically determined, reason for using “different from”. Have a look at this quote from The American Heritage ® Book of English Usage: A Practical and Authoritative Guide to Contemporary English.²

If you want to follow traditional guidelines, use from when the comparison is between two persons or things ...

Since I was comparing two things above (the spells), I used “different from”.  We can also use this phrasing to compare two physical objects:

Hermione’s wand was different from Harry’s.
Ron’s now-smouldering textbook was different from the unopened one on Harry’s desk.

But wait, there’s more:³

Different than is more acceptably used, particularly in American usage, where the object of comparison is expressed by a full clause ...

So we could take our earlier quote and alter it a little, allowing the use of “different than”:

The result of Harry’s spell was different than he’d anticipated it would be.

And then it gets tricky. If your full clause happens to behave like a noun, then you can’t use “than”.

The result of Harry’s spell was different than how it looked in the book. This is incorrect.
     
The result of Harry’s spell was different from how it looked in the book.This is the correct usage.

In this quote, “how it looked in the book” is acting as a noun. Since you can only use “from” when comparing two nouns, “from” is what must be used in this case.

To conclude.

“Different from” should be used when comparing two nouns.

Harry’s low final grade was different from Hermione’s high one.

“Different than” may be used when comparing a noun and a complete clause.

Professor Flitwick’s reaction to Harry’s spell was different than it had been in the past.

It’s worth noting that many sources will urge you always to use “different from”, even though “different than” is commonly employed in American English. If you’re at all uncertain about which one to use, stick with “different from”; it’ll rarely be wrong.



1. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage [Go back]

2., 3. The American Heritage ® Book of English Usage [Go back]

See also:
When Bad Grammar Happens to Good People: How to Avoid Common Errors in English
Is “Different Than” Bad Grammar?

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