DISTINCTIVELY Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

distinctive

adjective

di-ˈstiŋ(k)-tiv

Definition of distinctive next

as in different

being not of the same kind she seems to alternate between two distinctive hairstyles

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in distinct

serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group the distinctive odor of a barnyard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Marble bathroom sinks are based on the balconies of a nearby art deco building, while even the distinctive bedposts are modelled on the chunky bangles worn by local writer and activist Nancy Cunard, heiress to the shipping empire. —

Siobhan Grogan, TheWeek, 7 Apr. 2026 Our first stop was the hotel’s dining room, a vaulted space with floor-to-ceiling views that serves meticulously plated dishes made mostly from regional produce (including the island’s distinctive wild juniper berries) and seasonal catches such as cod, crab, and shrimp. —

Akash Kapur, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026 Pioneered in 1959 by the Soviet Union’s robotic Luna 3 mission, the first to photograph the far side of the moon, the distinctive figure eight shape of the free return trajectory has been well established early as an option for lunar missions. —

Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 7 Apr. 2026 It’s also known as China Zun for its distinctive silhouette that echoes a zun, an ancient Chinese vessel for wine. —

Nathalie Nietzsche-Knappe, Architectural Digest, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distinctive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinctive

Adjective

But his music was quite different from the pieces that Paolo introduced me to over the next year, all of which were written in the mid-eighteenth century.

— Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
But this year is a different story.

— Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026