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
In slow-motion video, the mongooses seem to use rapid-fire sniffing to distinguish who’s on their team and who’s the enemy.
—
Big Think, 8 May 2026
Researchers say this helps the robot distinguish between its own movement and outside forces, something that has long challenged soft robotics.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
Fashion-first Positioning Nail Reformation’s approach distinguishes it within a crowded category.
—Advertorial, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
Its platform is hard to distinguish from Corbynism, and many of the people who advised Corbyn are now advising Zach Polanski.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Big Think, 8 May 2026
Researchers say this helps the robot distinguish between its own movement and outside forces, something that has long challenged soft robotics.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
Fashion-first Positioning Nail Reformation’s approach distinguishes it within a crowded category.
—Advertorial, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
Its platform is hard to distinguish from Corbynism, and many of the people who advised Corbyn are now advising Zach Polanski.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguish
Verb
-
The biggest differentiating factor was the use of an agent harness, a piece of code that wraps around an LLM to guide it through a series of specific tasks.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2026
-
On a related note, leaders need to be better at differentiating between truly high-quality thinking, and something copied directly from AI that will make people roll their eyes.—
David Rock,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Verb
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In a statement Sunday, airport CEO Phil Washington characterized the person who was killed as a trespasser.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
-
These starburst regions are characterized by exceptionally high rates of star formation, making M77 a dynamic and evolving galaxy.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Under certain circumstances, which were not identified, the system will initiate a reset in an attempt to improve performance.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
9 May 2026
-
The Board of Education said in a letter to families that members will identify an interim superintendent who can lead the district after Dorland leaves.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
This year, though, some teammates have noticed Brunson using his voice more.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
On my visits home, my mother might at first pretend not to notice me.—
Nicholas Dawidoff,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Such systems as the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 series, classified as one-way attack (OWA) UAVs, have been exported extensively to proxy groups and state allies.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026
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Rising costs already limit access to higher education for many, and recent federal policies incorrectly classifying nursing as a nonprofessional degree will only further restrict access to financing for nursing school applicants.—
Nicholas A. Giordano,
STAT,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The basement spa is a favorite among discerning locals, especially its facials.—
Eddi Fiegel,
Robb Report,
7 May 2026
-
What was once purely functional, is now a small detail that carries weight for those with a discerning eye.—
Angela Tafoya,
Architectural Digest,
6 May 2026
Verb
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For instance, researchers found that rapid urbanization and electrification across Asia drove brightening in cities from China to India to Sub-Saharan Africa.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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Business travelers will find this especially frustrating, as even VPNs usually can’t break through these restrictions in the capital.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The victim, who hails from the same town as Wick, had also come to see the show and was hanging out with the rapper beforehand at a party in Wick’s nearby rental, the affidavit said.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
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These events reverberate around the world, especially among Jews who see themselves as being part of a transnational community.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguish. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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