DISTIL Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

distill

verb

di-ˈstil

variants also distil

Definition of distill

as in to drip

to fall or let fall in or as if in drops the basement walls distill water every time it rains heavily

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to filter

to remove usually visible impurities from distill the water before pouring it in the steam iron

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 distill Taking all of that and then distilling it in a way that was still beautiful and also sensual was really something that was discussed a lot. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026 Using a technique called principal component analysis, the team examined subtle brightness changes taking place as SIMP 0136 rotated, distilling down a complicated dataset into a few patterns responsible for most of the variation. — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2026 Another worker, using the handle Xiexiaoya, posted on RedNote, China’s Instagram, in June that the prospect of being distilled kept her awake at night. — Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026 But what sets him apart is the sheer breadth of those roots and his gift for distilling them into his own expression. — Billboard Japan, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distill

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distill

Verb

When the lid is locked, condensation builds up and drips back into the dish, which can thin sauces and dilute seasoning.

— Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
In a twist on tailoring, jackets dripping with fringe made their way down the runway at Monse.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of drip

Verb

Every Washington Nationals player filtered into the news conference room at Nationals Park on Friday afternoon, taking their seats among Cade Cavalli’s family, team ownership and staff members.

— Danielle Allentuck, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026
Because the platform focuses on older adults, users do not have to begin by filtering through the full age range found on a mainstream service.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of filter

Verb

That’s important because GOP super PACs that are pouring money into the Senate battlegrounds receive worse ad rates.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Republicans are pouring unprecedented sums into reliably red states such as Texas, Ohio, Iowa and Alaska as Democratic enthusiasm threatens their narrow congressional majorities.

— Jill Colvin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of pour

Verb

Haddad clarifies that vinyl itself doesn’t rust, which means that any visible rust on the siding is coming from something else.

— The Spruce, The Spruce, 20 Sep. 2026
With declining enrollment, high administrative costs, significant facility repairs on the horizon and state and federal funding support up in the air, administrators clarified that drastic cuts remain the only solution.

— Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of clarify

Verb

During 2020 and 2021, federal funding was flowing intononprofits through the PPP forgivable loans and other programs.

— Phil Buchanan, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
Soon after the war started, Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which some 20% of the world’s oil flowed before the conflict, sending shock waves through the world economy.

— Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of flow

Verb

Pantoja said Van has changed since December, highlighting the fight against Taira and noting the champion has refined aspects of his fighting style.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
The combination of technology was developed to deliver an exceptionally soft and comfortable ride, while the overall construction was carefully refined to create a premium experience from the moment runners step into the shoe.

— Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of refine

Verb

After a years-long effort to extract just a fraction of DNA, the Bible hairs turned out not to be Jefferson’s.

— Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Three of the four are co-ferments, which means the beans are put in anaerobic tanks, where oxygen is extracted and fruit is added.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of extract

Verb

Instead of sugar or salt, this scalp scrub counts on apricot seed to exfoliate and menthol to purify.

— Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2026
There are many easy and cost-effective ways to purify water, such as boiling, filtration and treating with chemical disinfectants.

— Elaine Reno, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of purify

Browse Nearby Words

distensions

distill

distilled

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Distill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distill. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of distill

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fungible

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes