as in characteristic
serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group
a novice birder still learning the distinguishing features of various finches
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in differentiating
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in characterizing
to be an important feature of
a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in identifying
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 noticing
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 classifying
to arrange or assign according to type
on the exam we were asked to distinguish the specimens by acidity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of distinguishing
Dave Smith, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
Hope to see more distinguishing benefits down the road.
—Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
That means distinguishing between the two types of SEEs could vastly improve space weather predictions.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The most significant distinguishing factor emphasized in the brief is that Vulcan Materials Company purchased a greenfield quarry site in September 2023 from Rocky Bottom LLC.
—Peter J Reilly, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The band were already distinguishing themselves by wedging huge, chunky-salsa riffs underneath the scabrous noise of the EP.
—Pat Blashill, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025
And maybe that's probably the biggest distinguishing factor.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
But those looking for coherent storytelling or emotional depth will have to wait for the next Pixar offering (not that the company has been distinguishing itself lately).
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025
The distinguishing innovation of the Louisiana Nutria Rodeo, the Nutria Toss is as old as the rodeo itself.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
Kraft Heinz also had trouble distinguishing its products from cheaper store brands.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
Hope to see more distinguishing benefits down the road.
—Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
That means distinguishing between the two types of SEEs could vastly improve space weather predictions.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The most significant distinguishing factor emphasized in the brief is that Vulcan Materials Company purchased a greenfield quarry site in September 2023 from Rocky Bottom LLC.
—Peter J Reilly, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The band were already distinguishing themselves by wedging huge, chunky-salsa riffs underneath the scabrous noise of the EP.
—Pat Blashill, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025
And maybe that's probably the biggest distinguishing factor.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
But those looking for coherent storytelling or emotional depth will have to wait for the next Pixar offering (not that the company has been distinguishing itself lately).
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025
The distinguishing innovation of the Louisiana Nutria Rodeo, the Nutria Toss is as old as the rodeo itself.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguishing
Adjective
-
The unique pairings are based on everything from the candy's name and shape to their characteristic tastes and qualities.—
Sheena Chihak,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Sep. 2025
-
That’s the kind of characteristic that is played out throughout the film.—
Maelle Beauget-Uhl,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Inclement weather has long been the bane of festivals and outdoor tours, and differentiating between climate change and a stretch of bad storms can be tricky.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
6 Sep. 2025
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But iOS 26 goes further, differentiating between unknown senders and spam, including scams.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
And, since Congress expects workers and employers to be (cough) creative when characterizing wages as tips to avoid paying taxes on otherwise taxable income, Treasury is authorized to issue additional guidance to prevent abuse.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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By contrast, Ka’iana and his family’s landing spot with Kamehameha’s base of power in Hawaii, as well as their foes, needed to be grounded in the land, while still doing the work of characterizing the different factions.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Improving culture means identifying the unwritten rules and deciding which ones help your strategy and which hold you back.—
Tracy Lawrence,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The test was 92% accurate at identifying those at any stage of ovarian cancer and 88% accurate at identifying people with stage one or stage two.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Leaders need to practice empathy by noticing when silence lingers in a meeting, when a camera remains off, or when fatigue from time zones takes its toll.—
Matthew C. Meade,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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This was created after noticing that some new hires didn’t show up on their start date due to cold feet, second thoughts, or feeling another offer was safer.—
Roula Amire,
Fortune,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Air Force took this case seriously under Project Blue Book, officially classifying it as ‘unexplained’ after finding no evidence of a hoax.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Sep. 2025
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In addition, tests have marked its accuracy at 88% in classifying wireless signal types.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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It is known to have a distinctive smell and a creamy, custardy texture.—
Sophie Carson,
jsonline.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Do a reverse image search of the pet's photo and search for a distinctive phrase in the description.—
Abreanna Blose,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The centerpiece of its design is a cardinal, and living in the South, many of us have watched the trees for these beloved birds as an early sign of spring each year (especially for those in Virginia spotting their state bird).—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
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However, critics see it as rooting for the underdog running amok, spotting an academic Marxist concept used to limit a free society.—
John Scott Lewinski,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distinguishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguishing. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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