as in characteristic
serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group
a novice birder still learning the distinguishing features of various finches
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in differentiating
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in characterizing
to be an important feature of
a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in identifying
to find out or establish the identity of
learned at an early age to distinguish the sound of a piano in an orchestra
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in noticing
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
could barely distinguish the garden gate through the mist
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5
as in classifying
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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of distinguishing
Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 7 Dec. 2024
According to the singer, Riot has evolved its music production into a more integrated and ongoing part of its creative process, distinguishing itself from other companies that typically use more fragmented approaches.
—Cecilia Ciocchetti, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2024
Of course, Bertillon was attempting to achieve the opposite of Renaissance painters, looking for distinguishing variations between people instead of seeking an eye-pleasing average.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
As more and more plays turn their sights on the singularity, Theatre for a New Audience is distinguishing itself as a place where artificial intelligence receives particularly intelligent dramatic treatment.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2024
Maintaining the city theme and in recognition of Fifth Avenue celebrating its bicentennial this year, Bergdorf’s Fifth Avenue windows in the women’s store are devoted to five of the most distinguishing elements of Fifth Avenue.
—David Moin, WWD, 22 Nov. 2024
Corsair went a little too subtle distinguishing ANC and transparency function with a tone.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 18 Nov. 2024
Typically, short-read sequencing methods have difficulty accurately distinguishing between gene copies in this region because their sequences are nearly identical.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 Oct. 2024
What the team needed most was to find remains of skulls and teeth, the body parts that contain the most diagnostic features for distinguishing species in fossil mammals.
—Donald C. Johanson, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024
Verb
James knocked the ball down and the Eagles delivered their first unblemished record, another distinguishing mark in a breathtaking season.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 7 Dec. 2024
According to the singer, Riot has evolved its music production into a more integrated and ongoing part of its creative process, distinguishing itself from other companies that typically use more fragmented approaches.
—Cecilia Ciocchetti, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2024
Of course, Bertillon was attempting to achieve the opposite of Renaissance painters, looking for distinguishing variations between people instead of seeking an eye-pleasing average.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
As more and more plays turn their sights on the singularity, Theatre for a New Audience is distinguishing itself as a place where artificial intelligence receives particularly intelligent dramatic treatment.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2024
Maintaining the city theme and in recognition of Fifth Avenue celebrating its bicentennial this year, Bergdorf’s Fifth Avenue windows in the women’s store are devoted to five of the most distinguishing elements of Fifth Avenue.
—David Moin, WWD, 22 Nov. 2024
Corsair went a little too subtle distinguishing ANC and transparency function with a tone.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 18 Nov. 2024
Typically, short-read sequencing methods have difficulty accurately distinguishing between gene copies in this region because their sequences are nearly identical.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 Oct. 2024
What the team needed most was to find remains of skulls and teeth, the body parts that contain the most diagnostic features for distinguishing species in fossil mammals.
—Donald C. Johanson, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguishing
Adjective
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The scene is a necessary conversation with Eugene’s characteristic mix of warmth and expertise, and Toya’s outspoken openness.Shelby Stewart, Essence, 9 Dec. 2024
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In 2024, the solstice falls on Dec. 21, marking the official beginning of winter and ushering in the season’s characteristic cold fronts and holiday traditions.Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Rhubarb is a vegetable that visually appears to resemble celery in texture — but its color and taste are differentiating factors between the two.Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 3 Dec. 2024
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Highlight How Your Work Aligns with Organizational Values The study underscores the importance of differentiating high and low performers, yet only 22% of employees believe their leader effectively does so.Mark Murphy, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
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In addition to timeliness and personalization, using AI in recognition and rewards programs can help prevent human oversight by identifying milestones and smaller contributions that might otherwise be missed.Archer Chiang, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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This includes specific trends and products that are gaining popularity, identifying patterns and forecasting demand.Fatima Yusuf, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The study also highlighted the historical confusion that had persisted in classifying these fish.Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
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By classifying data based on sensitivity and impact, businesses can prioritize efforts to strengthen their data security while ensuring regulatory compliance.Vivek Ahuja, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Police released several images of the shooter in which he can be seen wearing a dark-colored jacket with a hood over his head, a black facemask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack.Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
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Use handwritten envelopes or add festive elements, like wax seals or sparkling liners, for a refined and distinctive look.Felicity Carter, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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For this story to land, Silo 17 needed to feel distinct from Juliette’s home while belonging to the same basic world.Mark Blankenship, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
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Like Macao, Hong Kong is considered a special administrative region of China, partly distinct from the mainland.Simone McCarthy, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But this year, hospitals and health systems are seeing turnover of health professionals plummet.Bruce Japsen, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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Rather than seeing complex traits as entirely new inventions, this research suggests that evolution often recycles and repurposes existing genetic tools to build complexity on the foundation of simplicity.Scott Travers, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Braving the New York chill yesterday (December 14), Holmes was photographed in what’s become quite a typical silhouette.Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 Dec. 2024
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Related: Jamie Foxx Finally Revealed What His ‘Mystery Illness’ Was & Called the Recovery the ‘Worst Year of His Life’ What started as your typical night out at the upscale eatery quickly went south when some fellow diners apparently didn’t get the memo about restaurant etiquette.Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 15 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near distinguishing
Cite this Entry
“Distinguishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguishing. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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