distinguished

adjective

dis·​tin·​guished di-ˈstiŋ-(g)wisht 

1

: marked by eminence, distinction (see distinction sense 4), or excellence

distinguished leadership

our distinguished guest

2

: befitting an eminent person

a distinguished setting

Synonyms of distinguished

• imposing
• dignified

Choose the Right Synonym for distinguished

famous, renowned, celebrated, noted, notorious, distinguished, eminent, illustrious mean known far and wide.

famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

notorious frequently adds to famous an implication of questionableness or evil.

a notorious gangster

distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

Examples of distinguished in a Sentence

She is distinguished for her achievements in genetic research.

heads turned as the well-dressed, distinguished couple strode through the hotel lobby

Recent Examples on the Web

Whitmarsh was ushered into a side room with distinguished guests, among them Lina Mendoni, the Greek minister of culture. —Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026

One thing Mojtaba is not is a religious scholar, fit to lead a country whose founding revolutionary purpose was to place the state under the total authority of the most distinguished Shiite jurist. —Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026

Mohamed-Slim Alouini, distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, says the bandwidth of free-space optical (FSO) technologies like Taara Beam and Lightbridge still leaves plenty of room to grow. —Margo Anderson, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Mar. 2026

Then the precious scrolls of Princess Gulun Shou’an (Zine Tseng), the distinguished guest of Sir Bucephalus Hodge (Colin Firth), go missing. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see distinguish

First Known Use

1714, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing distinguished

• as distinguished from

Rhymes for distinguished

• undistinguished
• contradistinguished
• extinguished

Kids Definition

distinguished

adjective

dis·​tin·​guished

: widely known and admired for excellence

a distinguished scientist