differentiate

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

|Updated on: 19 Jun 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

As a result, many large multinational companies have chosen to comply with the GDPR worldwide, rather than trying to differentiate between customers and users located in the EU and elsewhere.

— john rothchild, Scientific American, "New European Rules May Give US Internet Users True Privacy Choices for the First Time," 15 June 2018
Eisenhauer set that amount to differentiate his scholarship from the rest, which were $500 scholarships.

— alec johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Menomonee Falls student given first HS scholarship from Young Rembrandts of Milwaukee," 12 June 2018
At this time of the season, there’s not much clarity to differentiating between the contenders and pretenders, which could create more suitors, especially among those underachieving teams out there such as the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers.

— eduardo a. encina, baltimoresun.com, "Taking a hard — and realistic look — at the Orioles' trade possibilities with Manny Machado," 28 May 2018
Using off-the-shelf components like 3D cameras and robotic arms with force sensors, the robots are able to differentiate between parts and assemble them with a dexterity and finesse elusive to most bots.

— liz stinson, Curbed, "Finally, robots that can assemble your Ikea furniture," 23 Apr. 2018
Being able to differentiate the types of Yemeni honey, their regions of origin and curative properties.

— taylor luck, The Christian Science Monitor, "For Yemenis, Arab world's refugees-come-lately, Jordan offers little relief," 29 Mar. 2018
Some qualifiers are in order to differentiate how the Mighty Ducks and Golden Knights were assembled.

— curtis zupke, latimes.com, "As the expansion Golden Knights pursue the Stanley Cup, the expansion Mighty Ducks remember their goal: to survive," 31 May 2018
That would be a shift from the current rule which sets rigid standards that do not differentiate between trading desks that serve different assets, like corporate bonds and derivatives.

— emily flitter and alan rappeport, BostonGlobe.com, "Big banks to get reprieve from Volcker Rule," 31 May 2018
The more characteristic symptoms that differentiate a wheat allergy from CD and NCGS include swelling or itching of the mouth, throat, or nose; an itchy rash; hives; a headache; and trouble breathing.

— carolyn todd, Allure, "How to Tell If You Have Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity," 21 May 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