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 The hump does influence how a bison runs, giving a distinctive loping or rolling rhythm to its stride. Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2025 The show explores the late-19th century artist’s homosocial themes, distinctive for Impressionism, whose common human subjects were typically women and girls. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025 Worden also cultivated the museum’s distinctive Victorian atmosphere: heavy velvet drapes, red carpets, wooden cases packed with specimens. Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 23 June 2025 Seed, who followed her parents’ career paths as a photographer, also discovered a trove of her mother’s own photographs, revealing a distinctive, clear-eyed aesthetic and a nomadic itch. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for distinctive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinctive
Adjective
  • Alaa’s family, campaigners, and parliamentarians are urging the UK government to take more concrete and decisive action—to deploy new and different tools, including amending FCDO travel advice for Egypt and considering sanctions on those responsible for Alaa’s unlawful incarceration.
    Margaret Busby June 20, Literary Hub, 20 June 2025
  • However, a voting system different from what the public are used to could cause confusion.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • While the divergence between the two is fair, its explanation lies elsewhere: Investor valuations and retail prices differ because they are driven by distinct fundamentals and considerations.
    Thibault Adrien, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • Regardless of how the Fendi role shakes up, Chavarria is leaving a distinct mark on the global fashion industry.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • The extremely diverse group speaks nine different languages and a quarter of the recruits are women, a higher number than any previous class, agency officials said.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
  • His team supports both Ecolab’s 48,000 employees and a diverse global customer base, bringing together IT, digital product development and supply chain modernization under one strategic roof.
    Peter High, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • At present, Greenland’s population is expected to fall below 50,000 by 2050, mostly due to outward migration and the low birth rates characteristic of most Western countries.
    Morten Høi Jensen, The Dial, 19 June 2025
  • The capsule continues to foreground the use of regionally characteristic materials such as jade, cinnabar, porcelain, and Asian cultural symbols like 玄武 (the Black Tortoise) and 青龙 (the Azure Dragon).
    Gemma A. Williams, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • Still, experts widely agree that the attack shares several characteristics typical of ransomware events, including a full system shutdown, containment procedures and prolonged disruption.
    Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
  • France wasn’t even a senior sign in that spot, which would be typical for a college player taken so close to the end of the draft, and signed for just $100,000 as a junior out of San Diego State.
    Keith Law, New York Times, 18 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Distinctive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinctive. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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