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
Wimbledon insists on white clothing and strawberries with cream (distinguished rituals that trace back generations). Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2025 Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis are a spectrum of diseases that affect patients of all ages, oftentimes with devastating or even fatal effects, said Daniel Kastner, a distinguished investigator at the National Institutes of Health. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
The list of potential honorable mentions is distinguished. Murat Ates, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025 Pendleton first went to work in San Diego teaching math at Memorial Junior High School in Logan Heights, and distinguished herself almost immediately. Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distinguished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguished
Adjective
  • At the heart of the property is the tahona, used to grind the agave used to make mezcal; this one is solar-powered though no less imposing.
    Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • 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
Adjective
  • Has an outstanding technical skill set.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Cinematographer Carlos Catalan has worked on Broadchurch, Dope Girls, Murdered by My Boyfriend and Killing Eve, and production designer Dominic Hyman on The Witcher, The Last Kingdom and earned an Emmy for outstanding art direction on HBO’s The Pacific.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Acute cystitis can be differentiated with a urine culture (used to isolate and identify bacteria).
    MD Published, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The dog family, including coyotes and foxes, can be differentiated from the cat family by the shape of their palm pads — triangular for dogs, two lobes at the peak for cats.
    Steven Sullivan, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • An artist having a deeply real moment — or three minutes’ worth of moments — in a show otherwise characterized by an hour and a half of abject professionalism and fail-safe show-biz prowess?
    Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Roughly halfway through the hour-long debate — largely characterized by frequent interruptions from Earle-Sears — Spanberger criticized Earle-Sears’ history of opposition to LGBTQ+ rights.
    Samantha Riedel, Them., 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Of 55 scientists ProPublica identified as having worked on recent IRIS assessments, only eight remain in the office, according to a source familiar with the program.
    Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2025
  • It has been identified in 21 states.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Those who noticed the quake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2025
  • According to the Journal-Constitution, the Paulding County School District declined to answer its questions about how many adult supervisors were on the field trip and how long the girl was missing before her absence was noticed.
    Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • And while Handmaiden wouldn’t necessarily be classified as a horror film, this pairing would make a great double feature.
    Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
  • Air traffic controllers are classified as essential workers, so they are expected to continue working without pay during shutdowns.
    Annabella Rosciglione, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The only person who didn’t seem to get carried away by the frenzy was the calm and rather dignified figure who inspired it.
    Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Transforming what is discarded into something dignified and beautiful.
    Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Distinguished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguished. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.

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