1
as in excellence
exceptionally high quality
a shop selling native handicrafts of distinction
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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Typically, such studies are led by a prominent person of national distinction or a renowned scholar, and are carried out by a panel of national experts from academia, business, the public sector and nongovernmental organizations.
—
Najmedin Meshkati, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2025
Byrd might have finished the night with that distinction.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025
Gödel himself believed his idea was proof of humanity’s distinction from machines.
—Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
If there was a loss of material objects from both fire and water — and water, though, that’s the kind of weird distinction.
—Lexi Carson, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for distinction 
Najmedin Meshkati, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2025
Byrd might have finished the night with that distinction.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025
Gödel himself believed his idea was proof of humanity’s distinction from machines.
—Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
If there was a loss of material objects from both fire and water — and water, though, that’s the kind of weird distinction.
—Lexi Carson, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for distinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinction
Noun
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His leadership fostered a culture of creativity and excellence, ensuring Vidanta remains at the forefront of the luxury travel.—
Eric Fuller,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
-
Not all Vin de France wines are emblems of excellence or ingenuity.—
Anna Lee C. Iijima,
Bon Appétit,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But Herro has been the more efficient player, with advantages in shooting percentage (47.4 to 44.9) and three-point percentage (40.4 to 39.0) and turnovers (2.3 per game to Lillard’s 2.8).—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
25 Jan. 2025
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There’s also no question that KC has the advantage at kicker, with Harrison Butker being the much more reliable option compared to someone who just missed a huge field goal against the Chiefs last season.—
Jesse Newell,
Kansas City Star,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
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He was selected Entertainment Lawyer of the Year by the Beverly Hills Bar Association in 2010 and received the Distinguished Entertainment Leadership Award from the Anti-Defamation League, among many other accolades.—
Mike Barnes,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Jan. 2025
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Some of her accolades include Three American Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and five Grammy nominations.—
Essence,
Essence,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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To keep America and its allies ahead of emerging threats, Lockheed Martin is delivering and advancing unmatched air dominance solutions focused on technological innovation — where pilots and drones soar together.—
Ellen Mitchell,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2025
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This trend seemed to forecast a decline in reggaetón’s dominance within Latin music circles.—
Jason Lipshutz,
Billboard,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Boycotts and bad mouthing are almost as synonymous with the Grammys as the gilded awards themselves.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA TODAY,
26 Jan. 2025
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What's Next As the draw nearer, with the ceremony scheduled for March 3, fans praised Chalamet for his performance on SNL as part of his campaign to win the award this year after being nominated for his role in the Bob Dylan biopic.—
Jasmine Laws,
Newsweek,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The difference between success and failure has always been whether the technology was good enough to be adopted even when government support was withdrawn.—
Michael Lynch,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
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Emergency powers exist to be used in extreme circumstances, not to reflect differences of quotidian political opinion.—
The Editors,
National Review,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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As the second Trump administration brazenly bulldozes the vaunted wall of separation between church and state, such destruction will also erode precious individual liberties which depend on keeping dogma out of government.—
Annie Laurie Gaylor,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2025
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Fueling her anxiety are reports of mass deportations, separations of families and military deployments along the U.S. border.—
Patrick J. McDonnell,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2025
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 30 Jan. 2025.
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