differentiate

verb dif·fer·en·ti·ate \ ˌdif-ə-ˈren(t)-shē-ˌāt \

|Updated on: 14 Aug 2018

Examples: differentiate in a Sentence

Definition of differentiate

differentiated; differentiating

transitive verb

1 mathematics : to obtain the mathematical derivative (see ¹derivative 3) of

2 : to mark or show a difference in : constitute a contrasting element that distinguishes

features that differentiate the twins

how we differentiate ourselves from our competitors

3 : to develop differential or distinguishing characteristics in

What differentiated a laborer from another man …
—Sherwood Anderson

4 biology : to cause differentiation (see differentiation 3b) of in the course of development

cells that are differentiated from stem cells

5 : to express the specific distinguishing quality of : discriminate

differentiate poetry and prose

intransitive verb

1 : to recognize or give expression to a difference

difficult to differentiate between the two

2 : to become distinct or different in character

3 biology : to undergo differentiation (see differentiation 3b)

when the cells begin to differentiate

—

differentiability

play \-ˌren(t)-sh(ē-)ə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

—

differentiable

play \-ˈren(t)-sh(ē-)ə-bəl\ adjective

See differentiate defined for English-language learners

See differentiate defined for kids

Examples of differentiate in a Sentence

The only thing that differentiates the twins is the color of their eyes.
it was hard at first to differentiate between the two styles of music

Recent Examples of differentiate from the Web

But where Octopath really differentiates itself is with its story and structure.

— andrew webster, The Verge, "Octopath Traveler is a modern take on classic Final Fantasy on the Nintendo Switch," 12 July 2018
But like his predecessors, Trump also faces a grim calculus: What differentiates a devastating crime from a truly national tragedy?

— gregory korte, USA TODAY, "Trump faces flag dilemma: When should it be lowered to half-staff?," 2 July 2018
What differentiates the organization is its remarkable political power.

— jackson holahan, The Christian Science Monitor, "'The Good Mothers' profiles the female prosecutor who took on Italy's mafia," 6 June 2018
So what differentiates normal amounts of anxiety from an anxiety disorder?

— colleen kratofil, PEOPLE.com, "Why Are So Many Models Speaking Out About Their Anxiety?," 17 May 2018
California grows more than 200 crops, which is what differentiates the state's $45-billion agriculture industry from frustrated farmers in the Midwest, who heavily depend on a soy crop that faces tariffs of 25%.

— benjamin oreskes, latimes.com, "Essential California: Bay Area falls behind on quake safety," 23 Apr. 2018
So what differentiates one quant shop from any other?

— joe weisenthal, Bloomberg.com, "Why One Of The Most Successful Quant Funds Decided To Create Its Own Video Game," 6 Feb. 2018
The system also launched without a title that really showcased what differentiated Wii U, as Wii Sports had done for the Wii.

— chris morris, Fortune, "Nintendo Switch Tops Lifetime Sales of Its Predecessor in 10 Months," 31 Jan. 2018
The liquor stores say cold beer sales is what differentiates them from other retailers and keeps their businesses viable.

— amy haneline, Indianapolis Star, "Everything you need to know about Indiana's alcohol laws," 26 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'differentiate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of differentiate

probably borrowed from Medieval Latin differentiātus, past participle of differentiāre "to distinguish" (New Latin in mathematical sense), verbal derivative of Latin differentia ¹difference

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1814

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year