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
as in to identify
to find out or establish the identity of
learned at an early age to distinguish the sound of a piano in an orchestra
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
could barely distinguish the garden gate through the mist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to classify
to arrange or assign according to type
on the exam we were asked to distinguish the specimens by acidity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distinguish
Voters tend to disfavor rallies critical of Israel, and in some surveys a plurality of voters doesn't distinguish between support for Hamas and support for the Palestinian people — despite the efforts of some organizers.
—
Marc Caputo, Axios, 6 Mar. 2025
Brutus, a 6-month-old beauty of a pup with distinguishing features like two different colored eyes, a black mask and white and black body, is struggling with his temperament around people and other dogs, the Central PA Humane Society in Altoona said in a March 4 Facebook post.
—Tj MacIas, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2025
But being able to distinguish when things are challenging versus straight-up unhealthy can keep you from spiraling into petty drama and sneaky backstabbing.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 3 Mar. 2025
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, distinguished as the richest person in the world, has been especially controversial since Trump's inauguration.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Marc Caputo, Axios, 6 Mar. 2025
Brutus, a 6-month-old beauty of a pup with distinguishing features like two different colored eyes, a black mask and white and black body, is struggling with his temperament around people and other dogs, the Central PA Humane Society in Altoona said in a March 4 Facebook post.
—Tj MacIas, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2025
But being able to distinguish when things are challenging versus straight-up unhealthy can keep you from spiraling into petty drama and sneaky backstabbing.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 3 Mar. 2025
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, distinguished as the richest person in the world, has been especially controversial since Trump's inauguration.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguish
Verb
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With the global biotechnology industry projected to grow at almost 14% annually through 2030, organizations are embracing innovative strategies to drive growth and differentiate themselves.—
Kristofer Mussar,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
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Persistence helped Suki through the development stage, but partnerships took it to the next level, differentiating it.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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It’s characterized by new weakening in muscles previously affected by polio, as well as seemingly unaffected muscles.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Mar. 2025
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The official characterized the attacks as an opening salvo against the Houthis and sends a strong message to Iran.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The woman has not been publicly identified by The Associated Press to protect the identity of the minor.—
Compiled by Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports,
arkansasonline.com,
13 Mar. 2025
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The story was a great example of how artificial intelligence can help reporters analyze large volumes of data and try to identify patterns.—
Charles Ornstein,
ProPublica,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have been spotted out and about with their three children, and people are noticing their closeness.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
7 Mar. 2025
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The outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas keeps a tally of layoff notices.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Despite the depth and breadth of his transactions, Sweeney did not classify his work as a teardown.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
The Athletic,
8 Mar. 2025
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Using data from nearly 10,000 herbarium specimens, scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History have brought attention to the conservation status of these plants, revealing that 87 species—almost half of the genus—are now classified as threatened with extinction.—
Ella Jeffries,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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According to a police report, Justin Pfeifer texted his friend Marshall about six weeks before that, trying to discern the make of Mulligan’s car.—
Kyle Newman,
The Denver Post,
2 Mar. 2025
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And scientists will be able to discern these ice spectra with unprecedented clarity thanks to SPHEREx’s observations.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Many focused on the birdies and course-tying score, but leave it up to golf stat guru Justin Ray to find another impressive stat to pile onto Thomas' performance.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
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The prior-generation Long-Range Rear-Wheel Drive, the Long-Range All-Wheel Drive, and Performance All-Wheel Drive are only found on the inventory page now – where they are being heavily discounted in some cases.—
Brooke Crothers,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Houston, which used just three reserves the majority of the night before emptying its bench in the final minutes, saw its bench total 25.—
Jason Beede,
Orlando Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2025
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Seattle saw some of Darnold’s best work up close in Minnesota’s Week 16 win at Lumen Field.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
The Athletic,
11 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguish. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
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