Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective distinctive contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of distinctive are characteristic, individual, and peculiar. While all these words mean "indicating a special quality or identity," distinctive indicates qualities distinguishing and uncommon and often superior or praiseworthy.

a distinctive aura of grace and elegance

When could characteristic be used to replace distinctive?

The meanings of characteristic and distinctive largely overlap; however, characteristic applies to something that distinguishes or identifies a person or thing or class.

responded with her characteristic wit

When might individual be a better fit than distinctive?

The words individual and distinctive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, individual stresses qualities that distinguish one from all other members of the same kind or class.

a highly individual writing style

When is it sensible to use peculiar instead of distinctive?

While in some cases nearly identical to distinctive, peculiar applies to qualities possessed only by a particular individual or class or kind and stresses rarity or uniqueness.

an eccentricity that is peculiar to the British

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distinctive Its distinctive leaves consist of small leaflets arranged in rows on each side of the central vein, and its small yellow flowers appear in spherical clusters. Erik Zou, JSTOR Daily, 25 Apr. 2025 They were inspired by treasured calligraphy tools, and each brush features a unique walnut handle with distinctive grain. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2025 Mineral grains evaporated from the planetary surface, however, can linger long enough to present such a distinctive tail. Victoria Corless, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025 Finally, the dual signatures identify a distinctive point of view that makes Bachardy’s portraits so compelling: His drawings are performances. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distinctive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinctive
Adjective
  • Vatican happenings were no different, as Romans put money down not only on conclave selections but cardinal appointments and papal activities as well.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 4 May 2025
  • During the event, Brown revealed how his Mother's Day will be different this year.
    Anika Ljung, People.com, 3 May 2025
Adjective
  • Finding the house was an enormous challenge for McBride and locations manager Kale Murphy; initial candidates weren’t distinct enough from the Gemstones’ other residences, and the search took so long McBride nearly called HBO to request a pause in production.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 5 May 2025
  • Joy Division is unique and distinct in their style and sound to be framed as a specific influence on many other artists and songwriters.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2025
Adjective
  • The show will feature contestants of diverse gender identities, including transmasculine people, cisgender women, nonbinary folks, and more, all of whom will perform as drag kings.
    Mikelle Street, Them., 2 May 2025
  • Most institutional shareholders like BlackRock and Vanguard still believe having a diverse workforce and customer base are good for business, said Atinuke Adediran, an associate professor of law at Fordham University who studies corporate governance and racial diversity.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • But its assertions are characteristic of the Trump administration’s systemic denial of trans lives, and signal further movement by HHS toward policies that seek to suppress trans identities among young people.
    Samantha Riedel, Them., 1 May 2025
  • Those individual developments are characteristic of a group that appreciates feedback.
    Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The house is typical of the modest cottages built in the area, with a front gable and adjacent porch over the main entry.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 May 2025
  • The Lakers came back to briefly take the lead at the end of the third quarter, and even led by a point on a Doncic rainbow jumper with 6:29 remaining, but what ensued was typical of a team that had no idea how to play with their backs against the wall.
    Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distinctive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinctive. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on distinctive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!