distinguished 1 of 2

distinguished

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verb

past tense of distinguish
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as in characterized
to be an important feature of a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word distinguished different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of distinguished are celebrated, eminent, famous, illustrious, noted, notorious, and renowned. While all these words mean "known far and wide," distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

When is it sensible to use celebrated instead of distinguished?

The words celebrated and distinguished are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

When could eminent be used to replace distinguished?

Although the words eminent and distinguished have much in common, eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

When can famous be used instead of distinguished?

The meanings of famous and distinguished largely overlap; however, famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

When might illustrious be a better fit than distinguished?

While the synonyms illustrious and distinguished are close in meaning, illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

When would noted be a good substitute for distinguished?

In some situations, the words noted and distinguished are roughly equivalent. However, noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

How do notorious and famous relate to one another, in the sense of distinguished?

Notorious frequently adds to famous an implication of questionableness or evil.

a notorious gangster

In what contexts can renowned take the place of distinguished?

While in some cases nearly identical to distinguished, renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

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 distinguished
Adjective
Their daughter, Maya, works at a distinguished New York publishing house and their son, Gideon, is preparing to follow in his father’s footsteps. Peter White, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025 Murder Club is one of those productions that, like the Harry Potter films, gives employment to seemingly every distinguished British performer over the age of 40. Tom Gliatto, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
Melmed Law Group is distinguished because of its commitment to each client individually. Chris Gallagher, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025 That model morphed to become the TR3A from 1957 through 1962, which can be distinguished by a wider front grill and then-new front disc brakes. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distinguished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguished
Adjective
  • Drafted in the second round, 50th overall, last year out of TCU, the physically imposing, 6-foot-6, 250-pound lefty debuted at the Single-A level in April.
    Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
  • In many ways, Eze feels a throwback Arsenal player, the kind of footballer blessed with supreme technique and control in tight spaces, rather than the more imposing figures like Declan Rice and Merino that Arteta has recruited.
    Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • With its outstanding tennis and pickleball program, renowned surf school, and kids' clubs and beach clubs, there’s no shortage of activities to keep everyone entertained.
    Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Without it, even the most outstanding work can quietly suffocate.
    Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Founded by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei along with a group of ex-OpenAI employees in 2021, Anthropic has differentiated itself both by focusing on safety and reliability and by targeting enterprise users.
    Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • More than deserving an honorable mention is realtor extraordinaire Seema Patel (Sarita Choudhury), who ultimately differentiated herself from the cacophony of the first two seasons to become a true confidante to Carrie… much in the same way Samantha was before her.
    Dan Heching, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • His appearance could be characterized as Jesus with stronger jawline.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2025
  • In an essay published in Vogue, longtime magazine editor Anna Wintour characterized Armani as a steely, dedicated and, above all, innovative force in the fashion industry.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The deceased sisters were identified as Kalani Rae Melvin, Kendall Xaiya Melvin, Josephina Renee Melvin, Sophia Nachelle Melvin, per Columbia County News and Spectrum Local News.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
  • To date, no human H5N1 infections have been identified among people handling raw pet food products, the FDA said.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Velasco quickly noticed improvements within his classroom.
    Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Officers didn’t find an injured person, but noticed a man with a knife approaching them.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In the end, Sutton-Schulman won the Triangle Springs appeal, but Highmark classified L’s treatment at Menninger as two separate admissions.
    Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Where cancellation fees were once treated largely as compensation outside the scope of VAT, the Court has increasingly classified them as consideration for services and therefore taxable.
    Aleksandra Bal, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Bell said that a conclusion to Cleaver’s tenure in the House warrants a more dignified end than Republicans forcing him out.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Adorned with Japanese flowers and trees of the season, the vase gives a dignified, graceful welcome to visitors arriving in the main entrance lobby.
    Isabelle Kliger, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Distinguished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguished. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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