distinguishes

Definition of distinguishesnext
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 Zhe said the study is the first to reveal the trends in artificial light use with a level of temporal detail that distinguishes individual events and regional trends. Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026 What distinguishes this franchise for talent? David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026 Fathoms is a frictionless listen, but there’s a stubborn sense of craft to it, and that’s what distinguishes it from the streaming-era onslaught of music with little purpose except to be pleasant. Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 6 Apr. 2026 Riznikove believes that meaningfully distinguishes the two brands. Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Apr. 2026 McColl said Moyinhan’s belief that strong business and strong communities are inseparable distinguishes his leadership. Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026 Nothing much right now distinguishes us from the third world. Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026 But what distinguishes Hers hair growth from other treatments? Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026 What distinguishes London’s leadership is an ability to connect the dots, says Karen Salfity, whom London brought in from Optum to create a more consistent strategy and member experience. Diane Brady, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguishes
Verb
  • Hollywood respects talent, but charm is often what differentiates an actor from a star.
    Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
  • For the last three decades, internet giants have been able to avoid legal exposure for content on their platforms, thanks to a law that differentiates the companies from online publishers.
    Jennifer Elias,Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The author characterizes Huntington Beach itself as an inherently self-aggrandizing, wealthy coastal enclave unrepresentative of broader California concerns, dismissing the notion that this affluent beach town should serve as a model for statewide governance or the state’s future direction.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
  • But the decision also characterizes the law as viewpoint discrimination (specifically here the desire to change someone’s LGBTQ+ identity), which is almost never allowed under the First Amendment.
    Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Epstein files released by the Justice Department contain a 2002 email exchange between Maxwell and a woman who identifies herself as Melania.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The collection also included SL-700 Technics turntables — items Hall identifies as sacred in Biz’s world.
    Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • So Mom clears them out, taking them to a nearby nature preserve and natural-history museum, where the sharp-eyed Sasha notices the teen-age Jeremy stealing a souvenir keychain from a rotating rack.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
  • What’s coming next may simply be the part that everyone finally notices.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The agency classifies it as a superfund site, meaning the area may be contaminated with hazardous materials.
    Mark Prussin, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Though the city's online neighborhood map technically classifies the site as part of downtown, Long's identifies as a Haughville institution that has served doughnuts to west siders for four generations, serving up to 1,000 customers each day out of its pale-yellow sided building.
    Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Each cocktail is purposefully crafted, bridging flavors as with a slow-sipper featuring a split whiskey base sees bitter orange, curry leaf, and a bath of hickory smoke paired with the kitchen’s tender rogan josh shank, snappy papadum, and other hits.
    Chris Malloy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Overlooking Year-Round Appeal Another mistake Miller sees is forgetting to plant for visual interest throughout the year.
    Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Varnesdeel’s 2aDays page, for example, ranks second on Google for her full name, just behind her Davenport athletics staff directory page.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Sadiq ranks 16th overall in Dane Brugler’s 2026 NFL Draft guide.
    Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • On the first day of high school, introverted Okuto Nakumara spots his classmate Aiki Hirose in the crowd of an assembly, and immediately falls head over heels for him.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2026
  • In the clip, posted by Juls Piles (@julspiles), the 21-year-old can be seen swimming away from a boat to retrieve her floatie in the sea, when her brother suddenly spots a shark in the water.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Distinguishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguishes. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

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