1
as in excellence
exceptionally high quality
a shop selling native handicrafts of distinction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in advantage
a quality that gives something special worth
has the distinction of being the oldest house in the city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in accolade
public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement
I did all of the work, and the other guy got all the distinction
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in dominance
the fact or state of being above others in rank or importance
a number of physicians of national distinction serve on the staff of the teaching hospital
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in award
something given in recognition of achievement
won a number of distinctions in her long career as an actress
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in difference
the quality or state of being different
the distinction between the two photographic prints escapes me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in separation
the state of being kept distinct
the distinction between liberty and license is often violated in today's freewheeling society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distinction
Far more distinctions arise within each group of fungi, which can also supply plants with vitamins and minerals, such as calcium and zinc.
—
Quanta Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
This distinction helps set mineral water apart from seltzer.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
But the distinctions between these visions of the world are diminishing.
—Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026
This Easter season carries another distinction for Chicagoans.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinction
Quanta Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
This distinction helps set mineral water apart from seltzer.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
But the distinctions between these visions of the world are diminishing.
—Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026
This Easter season carries another distinction for Chicagoans.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinction
Noun
-
Snuffing them out demanded excellence.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
This combination of legal excellence and genuine local expertise separates truly effective personal injury representation from the alternatives in a market as competitive as South Florida.—
Anton Lucanus
April 3,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mullins banked in a 3-pointer in the final minute to counter a small run from the Illini and send the Huskies into the break with a 37-29 advantage.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Leading 46-44 a few minutes into the fourth quarter, South Carolina scored five straight points, capped by Makeer’s 3-pointer to extend the advantage to seven.—
Doug Feinberg,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For business owners, Townshend’s bold decision and ensuing success, including among other accolades a spot on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s, offers an instructive guide to self-belief.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Today, Morales is not only selling raw cacao to Cortés but also winning international accolades.—
Sandra Guzman,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mitchell said the Cavs’ offense has changed, a little, to incorporate Harden’s isolation dominance, but also said Harden has fit into their original schemes.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Pebblebrook coach George Washington was a front-row witness to Landrew’s dominance in the 2026 state championship.—
Jack Leo,
AJC.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To the extent permitted by applicable law, all judgments or awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket damages (excluding attorneys’ fees) associated with participation in this Promotion and shall not include any indirect, punitive, incidental and/or consequential damages.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow break down these questions and more in the latest episode of Processing Blue, an award-winning podcast about all things Panthers.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Making an actual charge is another as Saturday showed with several players getting close to Coughlin, but failing to make up the difference.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The difference wasn’t measured by their effort but instead by their over-all strategy.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After separation, the weapon follows a steep ballistic trajectory, descending at high velocity toward its target.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
-
And the victory gives the Loons (2-2-2, 8 points) separation from Galaxy (1-3-2, 5 points) in the bottom of the Western Conference.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Education was considered an individual pursuit marked by moral excellency and only the students who did the best in school would have proceeded to higher education.—
Sara Novak,
Discover Magazine,
12 Nov. 2024
-
Zurich said the Game Changer Award pays tribute to excellency in the film business with a focus on leaders that not only cherish change and forward-thinking approaches in the business, but also stand for the DNA of what cinema has represented since its invention.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Distinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinction. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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