DISTINGUISHING Synonyms: 190 Similar and Opposite Words

distinguishing 1 of 2

adjective

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

distinguishing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of distinguish

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

as in characterizing

to be an important feature of a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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

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 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 distinguishing

Verb

Experts emphasize the importance of distinguishing between a true buffalo hump and other conditions. —

Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026 For example, they might be classified by the number of rulers, thus distinguishing government by one (as in a monarchy or a tyranny) from government by the few (in an aristocracy or oligarchy) and from government by the many (as in a democracy). —

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026 Defenders can have a hard time distinguishing an intruder from a normal administrator in a busy environment, especially when the intruder is deliberately trying to make their actions look like ordinary activity. —

William Akoto, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026 The criterion of self-consciousness, meanwhile, is of no use for the practical task of distinguishing between human and nonhuman digital activity. —

Andrey Mir, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 Per Alström, a researcher involved in the study, described the challenge of distinguishing the two species by conventional means. —

Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026 Only service dogs wearing distinguishing markers are allowed at the park. —

Jasmine Mendez follow, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026 Real-world experiments will need to tackle significant challenges, especially distinguishing the signal from various sources of noise that can also affect photon frequencies. —

Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 21 Mar. 2026 But other bolt-holes stand out for giving the beds themselves extra attention, distinguishing them in some particularly charming or even surreal way (see beds carved out of literal ice). —

Kathryn Romeyn, Architectural Digest, 9 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguishing

Adjective

Wu said that most patients with Lyme disease often display the characteristic bullseye rash, but not all who are infected will develop it.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
But tending to this climber is a practice in patience; the vine is slow to grow and can take several years before its characteristic flowers bloom.

— Claudia Guthrie, The Spruce, 9 Apr. 2026