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
People hardly tell the difference between facial filters or people’s natural complexion.
—
U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2025
In fact, from behind, people would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between an Oasis-class ship from World America with both featuring a multi-deck, twisting dry slide as a centerpiece of an open-air deck.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2025
Benjamin Pearcy, a video and visual effects designer, said one of the biggest challenges in making the ship appear out of nowhere was ensuring that audiences couldn’t tell the difference between the physical scenery and light that creates the illusion of space.
—Erik Piepenburg, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Another unintended consequence is the fact that most customers cannot tell the difference between the digital experiences of most of the brands that sell to them according to Gartner.
—Stephen Diorio, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell the difference
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U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2025
In fact, from behind, people would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between an Oasis-class ship from World America with both featuring a multi-deck, twisting dry slide as a centerpiece of an open-air deck.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2025
Benjamin Pearcy, a video and visual effects designer, said one of the biggest challenges in making the ship appear out of nowhere was ensuring that audiences couldn’t tell the difference between the physical scenery and light that creates the illusion of space.
—Erik Piepenburg, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Another unintended consequence is the fact that most customers cannot tell the difference between the digital experiences of most of the brands that sell to them according to Gartner.
—Stephen Diorio, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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 25 May. 2025.
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