Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective distinctive contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of distinctive are characteristic, individual, and peculiar. While all these words mean "indicating a special quality or identity," distinctive indicates qualities distinguishing and uncommon and often superior or praiseworthy.

a distinctive aura of grace and elegance

When could characteristic be used to replace distinctive?

The meanings of characteristic and distinctive largely overlap; however, characteristic applies to something that distinguishes or identifies a person or thing or class.

responded with her characteristic wit

When might individual be a better fit than distinctive?

The words individual and distinctive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, individual stresses qualities that distinguish one from all other members of the same kind or class.

a highly individual writing style

When is it sensible to use peculiar instead of distinctive?

While in some cases nearly identical to distinctive, peculiar applies to qualities possessed only by a particular individual or class or kind and stresses rarity or uniqueness.

an eccentricity that is peculiar to the British

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 distinctive Seriously, who else drops three distinctive features in the same year? David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025 Consider a one-of-one duffel made just for you from ivory Italian suede that’s distinctive and full of distinction. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025 Back in town, must-see sights include the Grossmunster church, with its distinctive twin towers, and the Fraumunster, famous for its Marc Chagall and Augusto Giacometti glass windows. Ben Davidson Correspondent, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025 Volman was known for his exuberant stage presence and distinctive vocals. Travis Loller The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distinctive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinctive
Adjective
  • These gains appeared across different growing conditions.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
  • That's because nudity can take on drastically different meanings.
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • After the very recent birth of their child, Un has taken a break from the all-consuming demands of restaurateuring to attend to the entirely distinct all-consuming demands of early parenthood.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
  • After monitoring them for two years, the researchers directly observed the birth of two different species of males with distinct genomes from a single queen.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Recognizing the value of diverse skills, creating mutual trust, and deliberately building team cohesion are lessons every executive can apply on Earth.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The United States became more demographically diverse, and fewer people were married from 2023 to 2024.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • When whole chia seeds soak in liquid, the surface breaks down, giving them their characteristic gel-like consistency and helping your body absorb their nutritional goodness.
    Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Their foliage is feathery and silvery-green, and the characteristic seed heads provide interest even after the blooms have faded.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The 300-second exposure shows the wandering solar system body as a minute dot, barely distinguishable among the stellar giants populating the distant starfield beyond.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • His distinguishable look, punctuated by a large black beard, became iconic.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The typical price of a single-family home in the United States is about $368,000, jumping roughly 13% over the past 5 years and 38% over the last decade, the ABC News data team found.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
  • In typical athlete origin story fashion, the first half of the Christy trailer depicts the unpolished, brunette Sweeney as real-life champion Christy Salters Martin slugging it out in practice, training on a beach, and hugging her supportive team.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distinctive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinctive. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on distinctive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!