distinction
noun
dis·tinc·tion
di-ˈstiŋ(k)-shən 
1
: the act of perceiving someone or something as being not the same and often treating as separate or different : the distinguishing of a difference
without distinction as to race, sex, or religion
also
: the difference distinguished
the distinction between imply and infer
2
: something that distinguishes
regional distinctions
3
: the quality or state of being distinguishable
no distinction of facial features in the twins
4
a
: the quality or state of being excellent or superior : the quality or state of being distinguished or worthy
a politician of some distinction
b
: special honor or recognition
took a law degree with distinction
won many distinctions
c
: an accomplishment that sets one apart
holds the distinction of being the only American to win the prize
5
a
: class sense 4
Mr. Hemingway's … prose is of the first distinction.—
Edmund Wilson
Edmund Wilson
b
archaic
: division
Examples of distinction in a Sentence
There are no obvious distinctions between the two designs.
She made a distinction between the words “less” and “fewer.”
He was raised in a small town of no great distinction.
Her talents gave distinction to the work.
Recent Examples on the Web
Technical Architecture Supports Continuous Improvement The distinction between NeMo and Nvidia’s Inference Microservices, branded as NIMs, lies in their complementary functions.
—Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Even for the big names, the distinction between the pure and the pragmatic holds fast.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
But those teams also have the distinction of passing on Jalen Hurts, who has won a Super Bowl and played in another with the Eagles, while Herbert and Tagovailoa have yet to win a single playoff game.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Renault will make just 1,980 of them, and the 5 Turbo 3E also has the distinction of being Renault’s most powerful-ever road-going car.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinction
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.
Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Even for the big names, the distinction between the pure and the pragmatic holds fast.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
But those teams also have the distinction of passing on Jalen Hurts, who has won a Super Bowl and played in another with the Eagles, while Herbert and Tagovailoa have yet to win a single playoff game.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Renault will make just 1,980 of them, and the 5 Turbo 3E also has the distinction of being Renault’s most powerful-ever road-going car.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinction
Cite this Entry
“Distinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distinction. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
distinction
noun
dis·tinc·tion
dis-ˈtiŋ(k)-shən
1
a
: the seeing or pointing out of a difference
b
: difference sense 1
the distinction between good and evil
2
: something that makes a person or thing special or different
the distinction of being the oldest house in the city
3
a
: particular excellence
served with distinction
b
: special honor or recognition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share