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
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Recent Examples of distinguishing
ABC News, 16 May 2026
Even Realities has launched its Even G2 smart glasses, distinguishing themselves from competitors like Meta by being deliberately camera- and speaker-free.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
This trip and multiple follow-up conversations resulted in Ford shipping nearly complete Town Cars to China for Hongqi to outfit with its own distinguishing parts.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 13 May 2026
Barrière’s distinguishing factor is its marketing, according to Davis-Urman, who has a background in fashion.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 6 May 2026
In the process, however, one of the big distinguishing aspects of TV – the large audiences who once assembled to watch dramas, sitcoms and reality shows – has eroded.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
Now, the streaming giant is highlighting the importance of distinguishing between the two.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
The researchers found that people's accuracy in distinguishing sugar from sweetener depended heavily on expectations, and pleasantness ratings also shifted accordingly.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
The second distinguishing feature of liveblogs is their tone of voice, which is often dialogic in nature.
—Daniel Jackson, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
The group blamed both the army and RSF and said some drones use visual monitoring technology capable of distinguishing targets, raising concerns that the attacks may not have been indiscriminate.
—ABC News, 16 May 2026
Even Realities has launched its Even G2 smart glasses, distinguishing themselves from competitors like Meta by being deliberately camera- and speaker-free.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
This trip and multiple follow-up conversations resulted in Ford shipping nearly complete Town Cars to China for Hongqi to outfit with its own distinguishing parts.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 13 May 2026
Barrière’s distinguishing factor is its marketing, according to Davis-Urman, who has a background in fashion.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 6 May 2026
In the process, however, one of the big distinguishing aspects of TV – the large audiences who once assembled to watch dramas, sitcoms and reality shows – has eroded.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
Now, the streaming giant is highlighting the importance of distinguishing between the two.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
The researchers found that people's accuracy in distinguishing sugar from sweetener depended heavily on expectations, and pleasantness ratings also shifted accordingly.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
The second distinguishing feature of liveblogs is their tone of voice, which is often dialogic in nature.
—Daniel Jackson, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguishing
Adjective
-
Mpox symptoms can include fever, swollen lymph nodes and a characteristic rash, according to CDC.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
Parallel Tales has Farhadi’s characteristic polish and DP Guillaume Deffontaines, who has worked frequently with Bruno Dumont, lights the interiors beautifully, lending subtle golden tones to the fiction scenes.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
That is a differentiating point.—
K.H. Koehler,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
-
Their ontology layer may be the most differentiating feature of this solution.—
Steve Banker,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The company temporarily halted the work and offered to repair the road at no cost to the county, characterizing the work as a gift.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Fresh, seasonal produce plays a large part in characterizing the taste of a place, and in Florida’s mild climate much of that flavor can be locally grown.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Others are better at identifying trends.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
Bailey was born male but had undergone a name change and had been identifying as female before the attack.—
Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
In practice, this means noticing the moment that your brain begins replaying an embarrassing scene and deliberately refusing to elaborate on it further.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
-
How the Slurpee became an American staple The Slurpee traces its roots back to the 1960s, when businessman Omar Knedlik developed a machine that partially froze soft drinks after noticing customers enjoyed semi-frozen sodas at his Dairy Queen franchise in Kansas.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
There's an emerging market for concierge and longevity clinics, where physicians are offering unregulated peptides by classifying them as supplements rather than as drugs to enhance specific functions rather than treat disease.—
Teresa Maalouf,
Verywell Health,
12 May 2026
-
But as other reality-TV subgenres similarly flourished over the two-plus decades since, the Emmys responded by micro-classifying the shows and pushing most of them to the Creative Arts ceremony.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
The upcoming capsule was developed by combining Eckhaus Latta’s distinctive approach to materials, fit and wearability with Mango’s in-house design expertise.—
Sharon Edelson,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
One of the more distinctive design elements is the use of Color Atelier limewash finishes throughout the home, including pale shades from the company’s Marfa palette, created in collaboration with photographer Douglas Friedman.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Drones are hard to pinpoint on radar systems calibrated for spotting high-speed missiles and can be mistaken for birds or planes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
-
Since the 1960s, this trove of demographic data has been instrumental in spotting patterns of discrimination and supporting civil rights investigations in the workplace.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distinguishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguishing. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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