DISTINGUISH Synonyms: 154 Similar and Opposite Words

distinguish

verb

di-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish

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

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Relevance

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as in to characterize

to be an important feature of a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity

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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

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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

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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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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 distinguish No Shortcuts Taken Part of what distinguishes Hawk’s from other purveyors in Acadiana is how the crawfish are cleaned. —

Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026 What distinguishes these conversations is a commitment to being deliberate. —

Bruce Helmer, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2026 To help distinguish the fact from fiction, Scientific American spoke to Emily Fairfax, who studies ecohydrology at the University of Minnesota and worked with the Hoppers team to make sure the beaver depictions were dam right. —

Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026 People living with dementia, particularly advanced-stage dementia, often struggle to distinguish between what is real and what is not. —

O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distinguish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguish

Verb

And while humans can often discern animal distress calls or differentiate dog barks, many animal noises may seem inconsequential to the untrained human ear.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 19 Mar. 2026
By differentiating customers based on value and risk, the platform helps brands reward their best customers while protecting margins from fraud and abuse without manual intervention.

— Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 18 Mar. 2026