1
as in excellence
exceptionally high quality
a shop selling native handicrafts of distinction
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in award
something given in recognition of achievement
won a number of distinctions in her long career as an actress
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in difference
the quality or state of being different
the distinction between the two photographic prints escapes me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in separation
the state of being kept distinct
the distinction between liberty and license is often violated in today's freewheeling society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distinction
Know your bike The market is full of vehicles that blur the line between a traditional e-bike and something closer to a motorcycle, and manufacturers don't always make the distinction easy to spot.
—
CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Morris placed third in the 145-pound division, defeating eight competitors to earn the distinction.
—Barry Scanlon, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
This distinction is technical, not just marketing rhetoric.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
That distinction is key, the researchers say, because regulatory compliance does not necessarily mean risk-free water.
—Bridget Shirvell, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinction
CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Morris placed third in the 145-pound division, defeating eight competitors to earn the distinction.
—Barry Scanlon, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
This distinction is technical, not just marketing rhetoric.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
That distinction is key, the researchers say, because regulatory compliance does not necessarily mean risk-free water.
—Bridget Shirvell, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinction
Noun
-
The standard in Storrs is only excellence.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Boston College alumni and fans will find our program defined by a standard of excellence, and our team will play an unselfish, tough, and highly competitive brand of basketball.—
Greg Dudek,
Boston Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Defending Houston Open champion Min Woo Lee and Michael Thorbjornsen are both at 12-under 198 through three rounds, meaning Woodland, at 18-under, has a 6-stroke advantage over the third-place golfers.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Led by McKenney and Gayle, the Wolverines (34-3) enjoyed a 33-6 advantage in bench points.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The three-time MVP cannot miss two more games, or he’ll be disqualified for individual accolades such as MVP and All-NBA teams.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
-
No higher accolade can one enforcement officer pay to another.—
Dave Duffey,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Yet extreme geographic concentration – particularly China’s dominance of processing, accounting for 70% of refining on average across 19 of 20 strategic minerals – poses systemic risks that were brought into sharp relief by Beijing’s 2025 export controls on rare earths, gallium, and germanium.—
Interesting Engineering,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
-
After years of disinflationary pressures from globalization, productivity improvements, and technological efficiency gains— particularly in the US oil and gas business — the energy component of the consumer price index is reasserting dominance in a negative way.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
To the extent permitted by applicable law, all judgments or awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket damages (excluding attorneys’ fees) associated with participation in this Promotion and shall not include any indirect, punitive, incidental and/or consequential damages.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow break down these questions and more in the latest episode of Processing Blue, an award-winning podcast about all things Panthers.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With the rallies over, the differences in ideology could complicate efforts to deliver their votes.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The different signs in the crowd signaled the difference in ages of the attendees.—
Alex Gladden,
Oklahoman,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Emma’s kind, matriarchal presence — which has been a constant in the show since season one — is lacking in the first half of this season, underscoring the impact of her separation from Joe.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The National Transportation Safety Board blamed systemic FAA failures and found the crash was preventable, with concerns including overreliance on visual separation and longstanding risks in the airspace around Reagan National.—
Eric Mack,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Distinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinction. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
