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distinguished

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verb

past tense of distinguish
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as in characterized
to be an important feature of a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word distinguished different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of distinguished are celebrated, eminent, famous, illustrious, noted, notorious, and renowned. While all these words mean "known far and wide," distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

When is it sensible to use celebrated instead of distinguished?

The words celebrated and distinguished are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

When could eminent be used to replace distinguished?

Although the words eminent and distinguished have much in common, eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

When can famous be used instead of distinguished?

The meanings of famous and distinguished largely overlap; however, famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

When might illustrious be a better fit than distinguished?

While the synonyms illustrious and distinguished are close in meaning, illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

When would noted be a good substitute for distinguished?

In some situations, the words noted and distinguished are roughly equivalent. However, noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

How do notorious and famous relate to one another, in the sense of distinguished?

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

a notorious gangster

In what contexts can renowned take the place of distinguished?

While in some cases nearly identical to distinguished, renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

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 distinguished
Adjective
Carey joins a distinguished list of MusiCares honorees. Paul Grein, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2025 Lee's distinguished career includes his indelible performances as Dracula for Hammer Film Productions, and even with his illustrious list of acting credits, Lee considered Lord Summerisle one of his finest roles. Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
What to do in Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela is the last destination of the Camino de Santiago religious pilgrimage, with its historic center distinguished as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Chris Dong, AFAR Media, 9 Oct. 2025 In 2018 Marti DeLiemaof the University of Minnesota observed that the lack of a trustworthy network of friends or family best distinguished the older adults who had been defrauded from those who had not. Madhusree Mukerjee, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distinguished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguished
Adjective
  • In fact, the Sens could’ve benefitted from them being more imposing.
    Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
  • At the heart of the property is the tahona, used to grind the agave used to make mezcal; this one is solar-powered though no less imposing.
    Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Shrinking earned a total of seven nominations at the 2025 Emmy Awards, including Ford's first-ever Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series.
    Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • At the end of the third quarter, GM's outstanding shares were at 954 million, a 15% decline from a year earlier.
    Michael Wayland, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Acute cystitis can be differentiated with a urine culture (used to isolate and identify bacteria).
    MD Published, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The dog family, including coyotes and foxes, can be differentiated from the cat family by the shape of their palm pads — triangular for dogs, two lobes at the peak for cats.
    Steven Sullivan, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • And for their efforts, the Rams don’t have to do the type of soul searching that characterized their bye weeks the last two years, instead relishing their second straight win on the long trip back to Los Angeles ahead of their week off.
    Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Adult acne is characterized by red, angry pimples that typically occur along the lower third of the face around the jawline.
    Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The man, who was not identified, told authorities he was unhoused and had entered the facility seeking shelter.
    Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • An autopsy conducted by the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington identified the body discovered Thursday during a search for Lia Smith as the 21-year-old transgender former student-athlete, Vermont State Police announced late Friday.
    Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Craft had not noticed the python biting Cruz.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
  • However, Kutcher noticed a double standard still exists.
    Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Led by its chief constable, Craig Guildford, WMP had advised the city’s safety advisory group (SAG) against approving an away allocation at Villa Park, owing to the fixture being classified as a high-risk event.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Prosecutors accuse Bolton of using a non-government personal email account and messaging application to transmit at least eight documents to unauthorized individuals that contained information classified at levels ranging from Secret to Top Secret.
    Pierre Thomas, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Direct, unconditional cash support is proven an effective, dignified way to strengthen families during times of rapid change.
    Erin Hogeboom, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Andrew is a damaging distraction to the Royal Family's dignified role of service.
    Christina Dugan Ramirez , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Distinguished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguished. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

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