1
as in to differentiate
to understand or point out the difference in
even at such a young age, he could distinguish the calls of various birds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to characterize
to be an important feature of
a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to identify
to find out or establish the identity of
learned at an early age to distinguish the sound of a piano in an orchestra
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
could barely distinguish the garden gate through the mist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to classify
to arrange or assign according to type
on the exam we were asked to distinguish the specimens by acidity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distinguish
They are taught to question traditions, but not to distinguish between just and unjust ones.
—
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
The coding agent might help Microsoft distinguish its developer tools from alternatives from companies such as Atlassian and GitLab.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 19 May 2025
The researchers distinguished between moderate and vigorous exercise by applying a simple test: whether subjects could still manage to speak full sentences after moving around.
—Paul Von Zielbauer, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Author Jones slowly reveals Nicole’s love affair with the head of the hottest band in England, kept secret because her younger sister has an unhealthy crush on Ben and can’t distinguish her fantasies from real life.
—Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
The coding agent might help Microsoft distinguish its developer tools from alternatives from companies such as Atlassian and GitLab.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 19 May 2025
The researchers distinguished between moderate and vigorous exercise by applying a simple test: whether subjects could still manage to speak full sentences after moving around.
—Paul Von Zielbauer, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Author Jones slowly reveals Nicole’s love affair with the head of the hottest band in England, kept secret because her younger sister has an unhealthy crush on Ben and can’t distinguish her fantasies from real life.
—Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguish
Verb
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Some teenagers are considering professional certifications and skill-building courses to differentiate themselves and build their resumes.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
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These efforts are still early, but AI companies are also trying to differentiate themselves from rivals such as Amazon and Google that also have chatbots and AI shopping features.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Symptoms of Preeclampsia It's characterized by high blood pressure that usually develops after the 20th week of pregnancy, says Dr. Reed.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
15 May 2025
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That stretch was characterized by more downs than ups, including being a controversial captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup in 2023.—
Paul Sullivan,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
Verb
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The release didn't name the woman or identify any suspects in the shooting.—
Grant Lancaster,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2025
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This evaluation was prompted by issues identified in previous unannounced inspections of BOP facilities, as well as the deaths of two BOP inmates, Robert Hanssen and Frederick Bardell, from colorectal cancer.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Dempsey-Beggs’ boss noticed her nervousness and pulled her aside, asking what the alarm was.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
18 May 2025
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He's also noticed that workers often shovel coal in bouts, working hard in teams of two or three, and then all taking breaks together.—
Jonathan Lambert,
NPR,
18 May 2025
Verb
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Our writers picked a few obvious candidates (anytime Lamar Jackson-Patrick Mahomes clash in any year classifies as must-see).—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
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Based on double-occupancy stateroom bookings, groups typically need to have a minimum of five to eight cabins to be classified as a group.—
Linnea Bailey,
Southern Living,
18 May 2025
Verb
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And make no mistake: staying relevant for a quarter-century among the world’s most discerning creative community is no small feat.—
Jeetendr Sehdev,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
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Yet amid all the business fanfare, the outlines of an emerging Trump foreign policy could be discerned.—
Howard LaFranchi,
Christian Science Monitor,
15 May 2025
Verb
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More information can be found online at pnw.edu/leadership-institute or by reaching out to the Leadership Institute at leadershipinstitute@pnw.edu.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2025
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Ellie finds a small fishing boat to take her across the water to the aquarium.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
26 May 2025
Verb
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The seashore added that those who see wildlife in need of help can call its hotline at (252) 216-6892.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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Some people may notice improvements in six to eight weeks, but others may not see any changes until 12 weeks.—
Julia Ries,
Health,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguish. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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