tell the difference
idiom
: to see how two or more people or things are unlike each other
It's hard to tell the difference between one action movie and another.
The new version is supposed to be much better than the old one, but I can't tell the difference (between them).
Examples of tell the difference in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The bats can then use this acoustic information to tell the difference between environmental–trees vs roads–and use them as acoustic landmarks.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 31 Oct. 2024
Here's how to tell the difference: Appearance: Mold can appear slimy, fuzzy, and raised from the surface, while mildew is typically flat and powdery.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
Barker’s Cenobites, cosmic sadomasochists who can’t tell the difference between pain and pleasure and who blur the lines between eroticism and violence, have had an immeasurable impact on all things goth, from their fondness for PVC to their commitment to kinkiness.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2024
The only completely accurate way to tell the difference is with a stool sample, which can detect the presence of rotavirus and rule out other similar illnesses.
—Sarah Bradley, Health, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tell the difference 
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 31 Oct. 2024
Here's how to tell the difference: Appearance: Mold can appear slimy, fuzzy, and raised from the surface, while mildew is typically flat and powdery.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
Barker’s Cenobites, cosmic sadomasochists who can’t tell the difference between pain and pleasure and who blur the lines between eroticism and violence, have had an immeasurable impact on all things goth, from their fondness for PVC to their commitment to kinkiness.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2024
The only completely accurate way to tell the difference is with a stool sample, which can detect the presence of rotavirus and rule out other similar illnesses.
—Sarah Bradley, Health, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tell the difference
Dictionary Entries Near tell the difference
Cite this Entry
“Tell the difference.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tell%20the%20difference. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
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