distinguishes

present tense third-person singular of distinguish
1
as in differentiates
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in characterizes
to be an important feature of a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 distinguishes Kelce spotlighting Swift’s intelligence A true golden retriever boyfriend distinguishes himself by appreciating his partner’s smarts. Emma Specter, Vogue, 2 July 2026 What distinguishes Union County from a standard addiction narrative is that Poulter and Centineo are flanked by nonactors, the overall effect hovering somewhere between fiction and nonfiction. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 July 2026 What distinguishes American English from its counterpart across the pond? Literary Hub, 1 July 2026 What distinguishes the vendors who’ve truly learned is resilience, not promises. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 When we are surrounded by machines that know a lot about a lot of subjects, what really distinguishes people is their desire to work hard and put knowledge to creative effect. David Brooks, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 That’s what distinguishes durable goods from nondurable goods like food, fuel, and other everyday necessities. Doug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 June 2026 Sonnett’s resumé distinguishes her as one of the most accomplished players in NWSL playoff history. Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 25 June 2026 What distinguishes Ryan is not simply his talent, but his unwavering dedication to meaningful, adventurous filmmaking. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguishes
Verb
  • In the accessible luxury bridal segment, Olivia Bottega differentiates itself through made-to-order production, customization, convertible designs, and a growing wholesale network that allows brides to experience the collection both online and in bridal salons.
    Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • This is what differentiates it from the Ferraris, the Astons, and so forth.
    Jerry Perez, The Drive, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Resilience characterizes many young basketball players at SCC Dixon said.
    Nicole Gregory, Oc Register, 25 June 2026
  • Under that view, a taxpayer who actively participates in management should not receive the benefit simply because state law characterizes the interest as a limited partnership interest.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Michigan, which typically identifies about 50 cases of cyclosporiasis in a year, has reported at least 170 cases, clustered in seven counties, over the past nine days, according to the state’s Department of Health.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
  • And most interestingly, her chyron identifies her as a Freelance Journalist with no further explanation.
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Making the room feel too formal Brooke Sabia of Phase 4 Design Group always notices when a living room skews more formal in order to differentiate it from the family room or other more casual areas of the home.
    Madeline Bilis, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2026
  • And the Tarrant County restaurant scene notices that.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • This is about a shape that classifies other shapes.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 25 June 2026
  • The gray-market vendors selling vials for $300 to $600 each, as reported by the Associated Press, operate outside that process regardless of how the FDA classifies the underlying substance.
    Allison Palmer Updated June 24, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • As Droga sees it, the advertising industry is very much in the throes of a profound technological shift.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 22 June 2026
  • On average, the region sees its first 100-degree day on July 1.
    Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Leaving Boise State as the winningest quarterback in college football history, Moore enjoyed a short NFL career as a backup before turning to the coaching ranks with the Dallas Cowboys.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026
  • Why Lawrence, Kansas ranks high The article goes into the history of Lawrence, summarizing the establishment of the town by abolitionists, political violence, and being a stop for the Underground Railroad.
    Emily Harter, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • From the moment that good Doctor Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany) spots the French frigate Acheron while jaunting across the Galapagos to the start of the funeral for the fallen crew of the Surprise is 20 minutes exactly.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 24 June 2026
  • Robot spots faults ANYbotics’ quadruped robot ANYmal is demonstrating how autonomous inspection systems can improve industrial maintenance by combining mobility, sensing, and data analytics in challenging environments.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Distinguishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguishes. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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