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
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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
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6
as in difference
the quality or state of being different
the distinction between the two photographic prints escapes me
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distinction
Universal is betting that the addition of Epic will turn the resort into a full-week destination, a distinction that is normally reserved for its crosstown neighbor, Walt Disney World.
—
Devan Burris, CNBC, 8 June 2025
The distinction between different ranking tiers is sometimes subtle.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2025
Whether distinctions in the college sports context prove to be distinctions without making a legal difference remains to be seen.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 June 2025
Congress has grappled with such distinctions before, Cummings said.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinction
Devan Burris, CNBC, 8 June 2025
The distinction between different ranking tiers is sometimes subtle.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2025
Whether distinctions in the college sports context prove to be distinctions without making a legal difference remains to be seen.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 June 2025
Congress has grappled with such distinctions before, Cummings said.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinction
Noun
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Farhana has worked alongside Ollie to create a culture of ambition, collaboration and artistic excellence, enhancing Film4’s reputation as one of the most pioneering and dynamic teams in the business.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
3 June 2025
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Concurrently, operational excellence initiatives—things like leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies, analytics and process automation—are delivering unprecedented efficiency gains.—
Mustansir Paliwala,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Noun
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Sam Bennett, who scored twice in Florida’s Game 1 loss, capitalized on the man advantage with the game’s first goal.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
7 June 2025
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Even among guards, the ability for a taller player to see over the defense can be an advantage when making reads.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Despite his athletic accolades, Jones’ post-retirement years—and even much of his playing career—have been marked by frequent legal trouble.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
9 June 2025
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The 30-year-old was awarded a litany of individual accolades for his performances this season.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Noun
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Reliance on China China’s dominance in the global drug supply chain is part and parcel of its position as the world’s factory.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
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In the future, another language – or no language at all – might rise to dominance.—
Nicholas Green,
The Conversation,
3 June 2025
Noun
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The performance airs one night before the Great White Way's annual awards show.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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The civil suit eventually came to include five defendants — all had been freshmen in fall 2021, except for Araiza, then a standout senior whose punting skills later led to a national collegiate award.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 June 2025
Noun
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One difference is that previous research, including a 2023 paper that Keeler coauthored, studied restrictive diets supervised by medical professional.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
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Another notable difference is the absence of the American flag in the latest portrait.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
3 June 2025
Noun
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The case to voters citywide: La Jolla must pay millions to San Diego in separation costs that, along with the city not having to spend money in La Jolla, can help cover the budget gap and improve services elsewhere.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 June 2025
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The Current will have at least five points of separation atop the league standings depending on the rest of the weekend’s results.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Distinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinction. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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