distinguish
verb
dis·tin·guish
di-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish 
distinguished; distinguishing; distinguishes
1
: to perceive a difference in : mentally separate
so alike they could not be distinguished
2
a
: to mark as separate or different
a policy that distinguishes him from other candidates
b
: to separate into kinds, classes, or categories
distinguish words by their part of speech
c
: to make noteworthy or remarkable : to give prominence or distinction (see distinction sense 4) to
distinguished themselves as pioneers of hip-hop
d
: characterize
recipes distinguished by simplicity
3
a
: discern
distinguished a light in the distance
could barely distinguish them in the fog
b
: to single out : take special notice of
: to perceive a difference
distinguish between right and wrong
Examples of distinguish in a Sentence
You're old enough to distinguish between fact and fantasy.
I have trouble distinguishing between the two of them.
I have trouble distinguishing the difference between the two of them.
You should be able to distinguish fact from fantasy.
The only thing that distinguishes the dogs is their bark.
The singer's voice is what distinguishes the band.
You can't distinguish the detail from this distance.
Recent Examples on the Web
The data does not distinguish between retail and office jobs.
—
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Walmart’s decision to join them highlights how retailers with physical stores rely on a human touch to distinguish themselves from online shopping platforms and AI chatbots.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Support from scholarship-granting organizations could cover the extra steps students now need to distinguish themselves in the competitive college admissions environment.
—Micky Horstman, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
To distinguish itself from all the other renegade action shows out there, showrunner Kyle Killen echoes his project’s cinematic predecessor, albeit with hollow results.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
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Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Walmart’s decision to join them highlights how retailers with physical stores rely on a human touch to distinguish themselves from online shopping platforms and AI chatbots.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Support from scholarship-granting organizations could cover the extra steps students now need to distinguish themselves in the competitive college admissions environment.
—Micky Horstman, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
To distinguish itself from all the other renegade action shows out there, showrunner Kyle Killen echoes his project’s cinematic predecessor, albeit with hollow results.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Cite this Entry
“Distinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distinguish. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
distinguish
verb
dis·tin·guish
dis-ˈtiŋ-(g)wish
1
: to recognize one thing from others by some mark or quality
distinguish the bird calls
3
: to know or point out the difference
distinguish between right and wrong
4
: to set apart as different or special
distinguished themselves by heroic actions
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