uhn-LEYEK
/əˈnlaɪk/
unlike is pronounced uhn-LEYEK (/əˈnlaɪk/). Unlikely to be similar to or compatible with something; used to contrast two items, or to imply that one thing does not share a particular quality or characteristic. It can also serve as a preposition meaning ‘not like’ in comparisons. Overall, it signals difference rather than similarity. The word is commonly used in everyday speech and formal writing alike.
Unlikely to be similar to or compatible with something; used to contrast two items, or to imply that one thing does not share a particular quality or characteristic. It can also serve as a preposition meaning ‘not like’ in comparisons. Overall, it signals difference rather than similarity. The word is commonly used in everyday speech and formal writing alike.
- You might drop the schwa too quickly, producing /nlaɪk/ or /ənlaɪk/ without a clean /ə/; focus on a light, quick /ə/ before the stressed /ˈlaɪk/. - Another error is over-aspirated /h/ after the /l/ or mispronouncing the /l/ as a darker velar; ensure the /l/ is clear and alveolar with slightly raised tongue tip. - Finally, mispronouncing the /aɪ/ as /aɪi/ or /ɪ/ instead of the diphthong; practice a tight, continuous glide from /a/ to /ɪ/ without stopping. - To correct, practice minimal pairs with the target: /ənlaɪk/ vs /ənˈleɪk/ (note the 'l' and 'aɪ' sequences), and record yourself to compare with a native speaker. Remember to place primary stress on /ˈlaɪk/ and maintain a quick but distinct onset to the second syllable.
"It is unlike my previous job in every way."
"The two plans are unlike, so we should pick the one that suits us best."
"Unlike his sister, he prefers quiet evenings at home."
/ənˈlaɪk/ in both US, UK, and AU varieties. The first syllable is a schwa /ə/ as in 'about', followed by stressed /ˈlaɪk/ with a long diphthong /aɪ/ as in 'like'. The consonants are /n/ then /l/ and /k/. In connected speech you may hear the /n/ slightly nasalized and the /ə/ reduced further in rapid speech. Emphasize the second syllable to mark the contrastive meaning: un-LIKE.
Two common errors: (1) treating it as two separate words with no linking stress, saying /ʌnˈlaɪk/ or /ən ˈlaɪk/ without clear primary stress; (2) misproducing /aɪ/ as /iː/ or /eɪ/, making it sound like 'ulinek' or 'unlike' with a longer /iː/. Correction: use a clear schwa in the first syllable /ən/ and a crisp, brief onset for /laɪk/; keep the diphthong accurate: /aɪ/ as in 'night', not a monophthong. Practice with minimal pairs showing proper vowel length and stress.
US/UK/AU share the same core /ənˈlaɪk/, but vowel quality can shift: US often has more rhoticity with subtle /r/-like flow in surrounding vowels; UK tends toward slightly shorter /ə/ and crisper /laɪk/, Australian keeps a centralized /ə/ and less rounded /ɪ/ in some accents. The /aɪ/ diphthong is generally the same target, but transition can be quicker in US, longer in UK. Overall, the main difference is rhythm and vowel length in surrounding syllables, not a different core consonant sequence.
The difficulty lies in the initial unstressed schwa /ə/ before a strong stressed /ˈlaɪk/ that ends with a crisp /k/. Learners often misplace the stress, or reduce the /ə/ too much, making it sound like /ənlaɪk/ with weak onset. The /laɪk/ part requires a clean /l/ followed by the /aɪ/ diphthong without breaking into /eɪ/ or /ɔɪ/. Sequencing the two moras quickly, while maintaining distinct consonants and avoiding assimilation that flattens the vowel, is key.
The word combines an unstressed prefix /ən/ with a strong nucleus /laɪk/, which can lead to confusion with similar-looking words like 'unlikeable' and 'unlike-minded'. A unique feature is maintaining the clear /ˈlaɪk/ while not letting the /ə/ swallow the following consonant. In search terms, people often query about the unstressed first syllable and the contrastive second syllable, so including both syllables in guidance helps SEO.
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- US: slight rhotic influence may cue a marginal /r/ color, even in /ən/ contexts; keep the schwa neutral and avoid adding a vowel after /ə/. The /laɪk/ should be bright, with a clear /aɪ/ diphthong. - UK: crisper consonants and slightly shorter vowel duration; /ə/ remains mid-central, /laɪk/ remains the same with a more clipped /k/. - AU: often non-rhotic; /ə/ may be more centralized, and the /laɪk/ shows a slightly longer glide; keep the /aɪ/ distinct but natural. IPA references: /ənˈlaɪk/ across dialects. - Common tips: practice slowed, then normal pace, ensuring the contrastive second syllable remains prominent. Use carriers like 'un' and 'like' in isolation to feel the boundary between syllables, then connect to sentences.
Unlike derives from Middle English un- (a negative prefix) + like, meaning not similar or not resembling. The prefix un- has Germanic roots, used across English to negate adjectives and participles. Like itself hails from Old English lēoċian? (note: root related to ‘be suitable, corresponding’ in Proto-Germanic *laukiją), evolving in sense from “resembling” to “comparable” and then to its modern function of marking contrast. The usage of un- as a negator is ancient, attested in Old English as un-, with parallel formations in other Germanic languages. The compound with like became fixed in Middle English, and by the Early Modern English period, unlike was standard for forming negations of similarity. The term’s first known written uses appear in legal and descriptive texts from the 14th–15th centuries, with increased literary employment in the 16th–17th centuries as English expanded its expressive negation to sharper contrasts. Today, unlike is a common adverb, preposition, or adjective, often paired with nouns or clauses to signal dissimilarity. The word’s meaning has remained relatively stable: it marks a non-identical or non-similar relationship between two subjects, qualities, or outcomes. An important note is that unlike is not synonymous with “different,” as “different” can be broad; unlike emphasizes direct contrast to a specific quality or expectation. Its usage spans casual conversation to formal argumentation, with subtle shifts in emphasis and intonation to signal the degree of difference.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "unlike" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "unlike" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "unlike"
-ike sounds
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