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
Is there something that distinguishes a Paramount movie from a WB movie?
—
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 17 Apr. 2026
When she was featured on PEOPLE's cover, Jolie had already distinguished herself as a humanitarian who regularly went on missions to developing countries, distributing food to the hungry, even sleeping on frozen ground after a hard day's work.
—Nancy Mattia, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Lab studies suggest seals might even distinguish between the movements of different types of fish.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
In truth that was a marketing decision to distinguish the film from the Universal Classic Monsters canon as well as the focus on adventure, action and romance in the recent reboots.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 17 Apr. 2026
When she was featured on PEOPLE's cover, Jolie had already distinguished herself as a humanitarian who regularly went on missions to developing countries, distributing food to the hungry, even sleeping on frozen ground after a hard day's work.
—Nancy Mattia, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Lab studies suggest seals might even distinguish between the movements of different types of fish.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
In truth that was a marketing decision to distinguish the film from the Universal Classic Monsters canon as well as the focus on adventure, action and romance in the recent reboots.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguish
Verb
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Kindbridge amended the document, toning down its attempt to differentiate between gambling and trading, after Sportico pointed it out publicly.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
10 Apr. 2026
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Hollywood respects talent, but charm is often what differentiates an actor from a star.—
Tiffany Kelly,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But South Korea's market has been characterized by volatility of late, with the Kospi experiencing some of the most outsized gyrations as a result of its concentration in a handful of stocks, as well as speculative positioning of retail traders.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2026
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The pilot program was characterized by SeaWorld San Diego Park President Tyler Carter as a conscientious move toward potentially phasing out fireworks.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Victim identified Police said 32-year-old Kiara Lewis was taken to a hospital by Dallas Fire-Rescue in critical condition, where she was pronounced dead.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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His father lowered his head and stared down at his hands while the defense played a Fox News clip in which a commentator identified as a former FBI agent opined that Robinson was a sociopath.—
Matthew Brown,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But as the 21-year-old cornerback approaches the NFL Draft projected as a second-round pick, those closest to him remember when his size was the first thing people noticed, and often the only thing.—
Tyler Carmona,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
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Take our recent example game’s score of eight to six with a goal of 10 points; Fermat would notice that the game must end within five coin flips.—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Named in honor of NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, New Glenn is a powerful two-stage rocket manufactured by Blue Origin classified as a heavy-lift launch vehicle.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
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The NightFlight Expedition and Mission Bermuda attractions are not classified as roller coasters by Roller Coaster Database.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Bridge Michigan was not able to discern what steps, if any, DNR officials took to try to compel action.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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All the wisdom comes from the staff’s hive mind and veteran New Yorkers with discerning taste.—
The Editors,
Curbed,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His understanding of where to be, when to slow the game down and when to speed it up, his ability to show for the ball under pressure and find a team-mate in more space; these are the things that Tottenham have desperately lacked.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
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Game 2 started echoing Game 1 after halftime, when Towns finally found rhythm and the Knicks looked like the more gifted team all over again.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the trailer, the Wicked Oscar nominee can be seen in the hot seat, continuing the Focker family tradition of being interviewed while strapped to a lie detector test.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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The plan is for Maton to throw off a mound during the upcoming homestand and see where that leads.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguish. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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