"It was different from what I thought." vs "It was different than what I thought."

Question

"It was different from what I thought." vs "It was different than what I thought."

Both phrases are commonly used in English, but there is a slight difference in usage. 'It was different from what I thought.' is more commonly used and considered more formal. 'It was different than what I thought.' is also correct but is more informal and less preferred in formal writing.

Last Updated: March 26, 2024

This phrase is commonly used to express that something was not as expected or anticipated.

Examples:

The movie was different from what I thought it would be.
The reality was different from what I had imagined.
The outcome was different from what I had predicted.

Alternatives:

It was different from what I expected.
It was not what I thought it would be.
It was not as I had imagined.
It was not what I had predicted.
It was not what I had in mind.

This phrase is also used to express that something was not as expected or anticipated, but it is more informal than using 'from'.

Examples:

The movie was different than I thought it would be.
The reality was different than I had imagined.
The outcome was different than I had predicted.

Alternatives:

It was different from what I thought.
It was not what I thought it would be.
It was not as I had imagined.
It was not what I had predicted.
It was not what I had in mind.

Answer 1

It was different from what I thought.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

It was different than what I thought.

This phrase is correct but more informal and less preferred in formal writing.

"It was different from what I thought." vs "It was different than what I thought."

It was different from what I thought.

It was different than what I thought.

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