dis·crim·i·nate | \ di-ˈskri-mə-ˌnāt 
\
\discriminated; discriminating
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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Examples of discriminate in a Sentence
The school is not allowed to discriminate.
the human eye can discriminate between very slight gradations of color
Recent Examples on the Web All have shown that police were more likely to discriminate against young people based on skin color.
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Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, "Does ‘human rights champion’ France live up to its ideals at home?," 11 Dec. 2020 The Trump administration has issued new guidance on religious exemptions for federal contractors that critics say grants them carte blanche to discriminate against LGBTQ workers, women, religious minorities and others.
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NBC News, "Trump's new religious exemptions for employers an invitation to discriminate, critics say," 8 Dec. 2020 Justice says Facebook’s hiring and recruitment practices discriminate against American citizens in favor of foreign H-1B visa holders seeking green cards.
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The Editorial Board, WSJ, "A Weak Visa Case Against Facebook," 6 Dec. 2020 The Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn argued that the limits in the order are unfair and discriminate against houses of worship.
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Shannon Bream, Fox News, "Cuomo admin in Supreme Court brief argues NY virus rules more lenient to churches than secular events," 19 Nov. 2020 According to the lawsuit, Great Northern claims that the Oregon Cares Fund stands to discriminate against its owners on the basis of their race.
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Tim Gruver, Washington Examiner, "Oregon state relief fund hit by lawsuit from logging company citing racial discrimination," 3 Nov. 2020 What is the need for discrimination in the name of diversity in the university system, if not to discriminate against Asian Americans?
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The Editors, National Review, "Californians Should Vote Against Legalizing Race Discrimination," 29 Oct. 2020 But some who live in Heritage Park say the rules and design standards followed by the board infringe on their rights as homeowners, discriminate against non-English speakers and are out of touch for an area of the city with a complicated past.
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Miguel Otárola, Star Tribune, "Fines, fees and fear: Minneapolis neighbors speak out against 'harassing' homeowners association," 14 Sep. 2020 Software engineers can inadvertently discriminate against people.
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Dina Bass, Bloomberg.com, "What Are Algorithms and Are They Biased Against Me?," 11 Dec. 2020
See MoreThese 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
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of discriminate
: to unfairly treat a person or group of people differently from other people or groups
somewhat formal : 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
verbdis·crim·i·nate | \ di-ˈskri-mə-ˌnāt \
\discriminated; discriminating
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
verbdis·crim·i·nate | \ dis-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt \
\discriminated; discriminating
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 verbdis·crim·i·nate | \ dis-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt \
\discriminated; discriminating
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
discrimination \ dis-ˌkri-mə-ˈnā-shən \ noun
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Time Traveler for discriminate
The first known use of discriminate was in 1615
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