1
as in to differentiate
to understand or point out the difference in even at such a young age, he could distinguish the calls of various birds

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to characterize
to be an important feature of a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
5

Examples 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 distinguish What distinguishes contemporary individuals, entrepreneurs, organizations and communities from each other is their creativity for more effective and efficient efforts. Majeed Javdani, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 During his 2024 campaign, Trump positioned himself as a champion of legal immigration, distinguishing between those who enter the United States lawfully and those who do not. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024 Most drug tests aren’t capable of distinguishing between different types of THC and will only measure the total amount of THC in the urine or blood. Amplified Content Studio, The Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2024 Over the past year, more than 3,750 people have been killed and over 1 million have been forced from their homes, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures. Maayan Lubell, Maya Gebeily, and Laila Bassam, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for distinguish 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguish
Verb
  • That’s what differentiates Allen from someone like Lamar Jackson.
    Harry Enten, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Cinematographer Edward Lachman used various film stocks to differentiate her story.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Beautiful Art Deco buildings, characterized by their streamlined elegance and bold geometry, have enchanted cities worldwide for nearly a century.
    Maya Chawla, Architectural Digest, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Every object from Lindquist is made in their Rhode Island studio of artists and makers and is characterized by the timelessness and collaborative spirit of artisan craft.
    Tanya Benedicto Klich, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Variables identified by the algorithms, for example, included unrelated factors such as differences in X-ray machine models or the equipment’s geographic locations.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Dec. 2024
  • An American man who identified himself as Pete Travis Timmerman was found wandering the Syrian capital of Damascus yesterday.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The ultimate goal will be for consumers to notice any difference and to an iPhone that ‘just works’.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
  • While at the event, Ray and Cusimano noticed each other because they were surrounded by taller people.
    Julie Tremaine, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Getty Images In these cases, the offense would be classified as a felony, and would be punishable by a term of imprisonment of no more than five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or $500,000 in the case of a corporation, or both.
    Eamon Javers, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024
  • According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, the names of defendants and almost all case records are classified.
    Leon Aron, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • And to be fair to Reynolds, discerning comedy and drama has become a gray area for Hollywood.
    Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 6 Dec. 2024
  • As global investors grapple with the complexities of a rapidly evolving economy, Hong Kong emerges as a beacon of opportunity and success, inviting discerning investors to partake in its promise of prosperity.
    New CIES Contributor, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Good catchers are hard to find, and the Cubs viewed the possibility of trading for one as increasingly unlikely.
    Sahadev Sharma, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Teenagers spent an average of 4.8 hours each day on social media platforms, with YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat found to be the most attractive to younger users.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • On December 5, the 29-year-old model was seen in a dressed down fall uniform that was, well, both in and out of my price range.
    Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
  • This legacy in racing has seen the team achieve strong successes, including their first win in 2000 with Robbie Buhl, and a history of fielding prominent drivers such as Al Unser Jr., Sarah Fisher, and Ryan Hunter-Reay.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near distinguish

Cite this Entry

“Distinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguish. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on distinguish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!