tell the difference
idiom
: to see how two or more people or things are unlike each other
It's hard to tell the difference between one action movie and another.
The new version is supposed to be much better than the old one, but I can't tell the difference (between them).
Examples of tell the difference in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Unfortunately, too many people are unable to tell the difference.
—
Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
With its higher precision, the system can better tell the difference between something dangerous (like an intercontinental ballistic missile) and things that aren't dangerous (like debris).
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2026
Hearing this, Carol is repulsed; to her, the ability to tell the difference between one thing and another is one of the best parts about being human.
—Maris Kreizman, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Sofia Hamilton writes for Reason that her favorite convenience store unknowingly sells counterfeit nicotine pouches, and how only someone deeply familiar with FDA nicotine rules could tell the difference.
—Max Cunningham, Fortune, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell the difference
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Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
With its higher precision, the system can better tell the difference between something dangerous (like an intercontinental ballistic missile) and things that aren't dangerous (like debris).
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2026
Hearing this, Carol is repulsed; to her, the ability to tell the difference between one thing and another is one of the best parts about being human.
—Maris Kreizman, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Sofia Hamilton writes for Reason that her favorite convenience store unknowingly sells counterfeit nicotine pouches, and how only someone deeply familiar with FDA nicotine rules could tell the difference.
—Max Cunningham, Fortune, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tell the difference
Cite this Entry
“Tell the difference.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tell%20the%20difference. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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