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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distinguish
The party had not sought to distinguish itself from the Conservatives on the basis of ideology: both agreed on the necessity to rein in state spending, the primacy of the special relationship with Washington, and the need to cut migration.
—
Oliver Eagleton, Time, 5 July 2025
But in reality, the system misidentifies common birds, cameras miss the clarity to distinguish plumage and detail, and battery life proves too short for real daily use.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 4 July 2025
But protesters said President Trump’s decision is symbolic of America’s role in Israel’s broader retaliatory military campaign, one that’s killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
—Lila Hempel-Edgers, Charlotte Observer, 27 June 2025
Savvy operators are beginning to distinguish between short-term curiosity spend and deeper, more sustainable value.
—Vlad Panin, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Oliver Eagleton, Time, 5 July 2025
But in reality, the system misidentifies common birds, cameras miss the clarity to distinguish plumage and detail, and battery life proves too short for real daily use.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 4 July 2025
But protesters said President Trump’s decision is symbolic of America’s role in Israel’s broader retaliatory military campaign, one that’s killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
—Lila Hempel-Edgers, Charlotte Observer, 27 June 2025
Savvy operators are beginning to distinguish between short-term curiosity spend and deeper, more sustainable value.
—Vlad Panin, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguish
Verb
-
In a saturated mid-market bracket, Hampton’s leadership has managed to differentiate the brand through an obsessive drive to understand customers.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
When compared to bikes with comparable performance, the E-VO differentiates itself with its cost.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 29,
New Atlas,
29 June 2025
Verb
-
Newspapers have characterized the issues as a clash of personalities between the editor and presenter Naga Munchetty, who has herself been accused of making colleagues uncomfortable.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
1 July 2025
-
The caliber is also characterized by a vertical clutch and column wheel mechanism with chronograph minutes displayed by a central hand that jumps forward every 60 seconds.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
Lidia Zepeda, who identified herself as a childhood friend of Garcia, created a GoFundMe account to help the family with funeral expenses.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
-
About two years after the assault, Agnes must identify her gender on a government form.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
29 June 2025
Verb
-
Sports fans may notice a difference in the race calls this season as longtime announcer Trevor Denman announced his retirement in March.—
Kelley Carlson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 July 2025
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Helping young people: Tribes seek foster care for kids in need, but strained resources lead some to group homes Manuel also noticed that many foster kids were hungry to learn about their cultural roots, which sparked another idea.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
4 July 2025
Verb
-
Cashews are classified as tree nuts, one of the nine major food allergens.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
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More than half of the cases — 417 — were classified as immigration violations.—
Norma Galeana,
CNN Money,
4 July 2025
Verb
-
Some artists report losing significant opportunities and having to switch careers because of the genre’s downturn; others are paranoid, unable to discern the real from the hoax.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
2 July 2025
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Sammarco said the coroner's office is asking for the public's help in identifying the man and reaching his family because investigators' efforts to discern his identity have so far proved unsuccessful.—
Quinlan Bentley,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
There, a tactical response team found a man lying dead with a weapon nearby, whom authorities believe was the shooter.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
1 July 2025
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If finding indoor shelter is not an option: Steer clear of open fields, hilltops, or ridge tops.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 June 2025
Verb
-
What areas in Texas have flooded? Can't see our graphics?—
George Petras,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
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The third edition of this category sees four out of five honorees return, mainly owing to their outstanding portfolios and strength of service.—
Sarah Bruning,
Travel + Leisure,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguish. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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