discriminate
verb
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Definition of discriminate
1a : to mark or perceive the distinguishing or peculiar features of Depth perception may be defined as the ability to appreciate or discriminate the third dimension … —H. G. Armstrong
b : distinguish, differentiate discriminate hundreds of colors
2 : to distinguish by discerning or exposing differences : to recognize or identify as separate and distinct discriminate right from wrong especially : to distinguish from another like object discriminate the individual voices in the choir
1a : to make a distinction discriminate among historical sources discriminates between literary fiction and popular fiction
b : to use good judgment
2 : to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit discriminate in favor of your friends discriminate against a certain nationality
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Synonyms & Antonyms for discriminate
Synonyms
difference, differentiate, discern, distinguish, separate
Antonyms
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Examples of discriminate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The case inspired similar litigation on behalf of female, Native American and Latino farmers who contended that the department had also discriminated against them. — Daniel E. Slotnik, New York Times, "Ralph Paige, Champion of Black Farmers, Dies at 74," 6 July 2018 The Justice Department is currently investigating whether Harvard has discriminated against Asian-American applicants in its admissions process. — Hanna Howard, Teen Vogue, "Affirmative Action Guidelines Rescinded by Trump Administration," 3 July 2018 Sixty-six percent of black respondents in that study agreed that taxi drivers discriminate based on race, with 47 percent of white people agreeing. — Josh Magness, miamiherald, "Black passengers wait longer for Ubers, taxis — and get more cancellations, study finds," 28 June 2018 The facilities fought back in court — successfully in most cases — by arguing that the cities were discriminating based on their viewpoints. — Richard Wolf, USA TODAY, "Supreme Court rules against California law targeting anti-abortion pregnancy centers," 26 June 2018 Even if Harvard does not actually discriminate against Asian-Americans, its insistence on preserving hereditary preferences undermines its case. — The Economist, "A lawsuit reveals how peculiar Harvard’s definition of merit is," 21 June 2018 The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and others, claims the question intentionally discriminates against immigrants and will increase fear in their communities. — Larry Neumeister, Sun-Sentinel.com, "ACLU sues over plans for citizenship question on 2020 census," 6 June 2018 At a news conference, Democrats said Trump’s pick of Kavanaugh is his latest attempt to undermine the Affordable Care Act and bring America back to the days when insurers could discriminate against those with pre-existing conditions. — Nicole Gaudiano, USA TODAY, "Red-state Democrats could put party in bind over Brett Kavanaugh," 12 July 2018 Contacted by phone Wednesday, Smitley strongly denied discriminating against McGuffin. — Vic Ryckaert, Indianapolis Star, "Judge: Landlord must pay $220,000 for discriminating against ill tenant," 11 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'discriminate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for discriminate
discriminate
verb
English Language Learners Definition of discriminate
: to unfairly treat a person or group of people differently from other people or groups
: to notice and understand that one thing is different from another thing : to recognize a difference between things
See the full definition for discriminate in the English Language Learners Dictionary
discriminate
verb
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Kids Definition of discriminate
1 : to unfairly treat a person or group differently from other people or groups It is against the law to discriminate on the basis of race.
2 : to be able to tell the difference between things He can discriminate among the birds by their calls.
discriminate
verb
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Medical Definition of discriminate
: to respond selectively to (a stimulus)
: to respond selectively the capacity of organisms to discriminate —J. A. Swets
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discriminate
intransitive verb
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Legal Definition of discriminate
: to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit especially : to make a difference in treatment on a basis prohibited by law (as national origin, race, sex, religion, age, or disability) — see also bona fide occupational qualification, equal protection, reverse discrimination, suspect class, Civil Rights Act of 1964
Other words from discriminate
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noun
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