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
That's the distinction between Venezuela and other nations.
—
CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Daniela Amodei drew a distinction between the technology curve and the economic curve, an important nuance that tends to get conflated in the public debate.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 3 Jan. 2026
The Commodore also holds the distinction of being one of only two ships currently commissioned in the Texas Navy.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 Jan. 2026
In the posts, Kaplan — a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza — said there is a clear distinction between opposing the policies of the Israeli government and antisemitism.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinction
CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Daniela Amodei drew a distinction between the technology curve and the economic curve, an important nuance that tends to get conflated in the public debate.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 3 Jan. 2026
The Commodore also holds the distinction of being one of only two ships currently commissioned in the Texas Navy.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 Jan. 2026
In the posts, Kaplan — a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza — said there is a clear distinction between opposing the policies of the Israeli government and antisemitism.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinction
Noun
-
Her answer landed like a mic drop at Golden Eve, a new primetime special airing Thursday on CBS that celebrates work defined by excellence and lasting impact.—
Ryma Chikhoune,
Footwear News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The recognition places Dogwood among a small group of restaurants nationwide singled out for excellence in their first year on the dining scene.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The work accomplished at Silent Swarm 2025, along with technology such as the TEEMS device, illustrates how the company is architecting the advantage for today’s performance and tomorrow’s success along the tactical edge.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Through two periods, Carolina had a 25-11 advantage in shots on goal.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
But beyond the wins, losses and accolades, there was the man who remained in his players’ lives, through good times and tough times.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The singer delivered a pulsating rendition of the record paired with slick choreography and a crew of dancers in a warehouse for the set that marks her latest accolade, being named Global Push Artist for November.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The United States has increasingly projected itself as a global bully, treating weaker nations as fair game for regime change by force — simply to assert power and dominance.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
-
But despite Derrick Henry’s early dominance on the ground and Jackson’s sensational fourth quarter, another season ended in excruciating fashion.—
Noah Trister,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And according to most sportsbooks, as of Wednesday evening, McMillan is the runaway favorite to win the end-of-year award.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
-
That makes the very idea of awards in literature filled with landmines.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The difference is a handful of defenders get Moss’d every week.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
However, there's a significant difference between containing and controlling a wildfire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The film’s title may be overstated, but there’s no denying the way the song’s message about longing, separation, and regret affected an inordinately wide range of people who heard it.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Transition services for service members nearing separation have been halted as well.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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 9 Jan. 2026.
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