1
as in excellence
exceptionally high quality
a shop selling native handicrafts of distinction
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Relevance
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2
as in advantage
a quality that gives something special worth
has the distinction of being the oldest house in the city
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3
as in accolade
public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement
I did all of the work, and the other guy got all the distinction
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4
as in dominance
the fact or state of being above others in rank or importance
a number of physicians of national distinction serve on the staff of the teaching hospital
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5
as in award
something given in recognition of achievement
won a number of distinctions in her long career as an actress
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6
as in difference
the quality or state of being different
the distinction between the two photographic prints escapes me
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7
as in separation
the state of being kept distinct
the distinction between liberty and license is often violated in today's freewheeling society
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of distinction
Ross’s film is a sterling attempt to explode that distinction.
—
K. Austin Collins, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2024
Color temperature affects how light looks and feels, and the distinction between the temperatures is crucial in setting the mood and enhancing aesthetics.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Dec. 2024
But that distinction doesn't really matter anymore, due to the sneakiest bait-and switch that put the final nail in America's cannabis coffin.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
This approach to perception has the benefit of breaking down the distinction between self and world: a chair in all of its chairness doesn’t exist without a perceiver to see it as something to sit in; a chair is the affordance of a place to sit.
—Max Norman, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distinction 
K. Austin Collins, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2024
Color temperature affects how light looks and feels, and the distinction between the temperatures is crucial in setting the mood and enhancing aesthetics.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Dec. 2024
But that distinction doesn't really matter anymore, due to the sneakiest bait-and switch that put the final nail in America's cannabis coffin.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
This approach to perception has the benefit of breaking down the distinction between self and world: a chair in all of its chairness doesn’t exist without a perceiver to see it as something to sit in; a chair is the affordance of a place to sit.
—Max Norman, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinction
Noun
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The Daily Pennsylvanian—Penn’s student newspaper—reported that Mangione founded the school’s Game Research and Development Environment club and that he was inducted into the Eta Kappa Nu honor society for excellence in electrical and computer engineering before graduating in 2020.Molly Bohannon, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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The Lumiere Awards are presented annually to honor technical and creative excellence in motion pictures, episodic and new media content.Carolyn Giardina, Variety, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Domino's competitive advantage is driven by the company's large scale and strong brand.GuruFocus, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
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Discover the advantages of growing vegetables in your own backyard.Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The Bills know that Allen is playing the best football of his career, with the likely league accolades to follow.Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
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According to Gastineau, Favre took a dive on the record-breaking play, ultimately handing Michael Strahan the accolade.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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As the world embraces zero-emission vehicles, Thailand has been courting Chinese automakers, which in their quest for global dominance have spent more than $1.4 billion here as of last year to build EV factories.Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
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Because of Pantoja’s dominance, the UFC has had to dig deeper into the rankings to find title challengers.Brian Mazique, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Submit professional appointments, management-level promotions and significant awards for individuals, along with photos as .jpg attachments, to peopleonmove@orlandosentinel.com.Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Dec. 2024
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Wilson has won 14 awards from the Academy of Country Music and the CMA since 2021, alongside seven No. 1 country hits.Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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What’s the difference between refinancing and a second mortgage?Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
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Everett’s book is about the surprising ways that languages differ and about the significance these differences may have.Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Indeed, the process of separation was emotionally painful, but the act of living through a strained relationship can be equally, if not more, draining.Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
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Elsewhere in the interview, Ferguson underscored a deep belief in the separation of powers, along with the guardrails established to protect it.Brian Fung, CNN, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Education was considered an individual pursuit marked by moral excellency and only the students who did the best in school would have proceeded to higher education.Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2024
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Zurich said the Game Changer Award pays tribute to excellency in the film business with a focus on leaders that not only cherish change and forward-thinking approaches in the business, but also stand for the DNA of what cinema has represented since its invention.Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near distinction
Cite this Entry
“Distinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinction. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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