difference between vs difference of

Both 'difference between' and 'difference of' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Difference between' is used when comparing two or more things, while 'difference of' is used when specifying the nature of the difference in a more formal or technical context.

Last updated: March 20, 2024 • 1076 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when comparing two or more things.

"difference between"

Use 'difference between' when comparing two or more things to highlight the distinctions or variations between them.

Examples:

What is the difference between a cat and a dog?
Can you explain the difference between these two concepts?
There is a clear difference between the two products.
She couldn't tell the difference between the two paintings.
Spotting the difference between the twins was challenging.

Show examples from the web [+]

There's a difference between bookkeeping...
Teaching the difference between right and wrong is difficult.
There is a significant difference between request and require.
Costs are the difference between revenue and profit before tax.
The difference between remote and local mailboxes.
There is little difference between this platform and the competition.
She understands the difference between reality and fiction.
We see no difference between hugging and suffocation.
That's the difference between family and friends.
The difference between silicon carbide and disilicide molybdenum 1.
No difference between groups regarding immunogenicity was observed in either study.
There is absolutely no difference between us.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
This shows precisely the difference between ideology and practice.
The motion stresses the difference between advertising and information.
There's a huge difference between theorists and experimentalists.
There is no difference between photography and slide.
There is a difference between courtship and marriage.
That is the difference between failure and success.
The difference between thought and action is critical.

Alternatives:

contrast between
distinction between
discrepancy between
disparity between
variation between

This phrase is correct but less commonly used in everyday language. It is more suitable for formal or technical contexts.

"difference of"

Use 'difference of' when specifying the nature of the difference in a more formal or technical context, such as in academic writing or scientific discussions.

Examples:

The difference of opinion among the team members led to a delay in the project.
The book explores the difference of approach between the two political ideologies.
Can you explain the difference of structure in these two chemical compounds?
The study focused on the difference of behavior in various cultural groups.
The professor highlighted the difference of results in the two experiments.

Show examples from the web [+]

But the difference of a few years on stock-market valuations is obviously extreme.
When both vehicles are empty, there's a difference of 4.3 inches.
Mr President, I have a fundamental difference of political opinion with the rapporteur, Mrs Buitenweg.
That's a difference of nearly 600 grand.
This is because a difference of 1 stop represents a doubling or halving of exposure.
Ideologically, the controversy between Republicans and Federalists stemmed from a difference of principle and style.
The latter finding, with its difference of 2.7 percentage points, is particularly striking.
There can be a difference of three to four kronor per class.
Obviously the enormous difference of weight and qualita' does not concur not even a comparison.
No, but that might only be the difference of a few degrees.
However, there is this peculiar difference of encoding among them.
Prepared to pay the difference of evaluation, provided that reasonable.
It cannot be represented as a difference of two squares.
This illustrates the fact that every odd number is the difference of two consecutive squares.
Due to the difference of culture and tradition, Germans are not very informal.
This spread factor corresponds to a difference of 13 decibels.
In particular cases difference of treatment can be justified.
It is merely a difference of approach.
The Commission proposal quite clearly recognises the difference of legal treatment between descending and ascending relatives.
Construct the vector difference of two vectors.

Alternatives:

discrepancy of
variation of
contrast of
disparity of
distinction of

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difference between vs difference of