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
According to the company, the system can be tuned to provide different vibration patterns for different alerts, helping riders distinguish between warnings without having to take their eyes off the road.
—
New Atlas, 4 Jan. 2026
In 1926, the school would rename itself North Central College to both better represent its place in the Evangelical world and to distinguish itself from Northwestern University and Naperville, the prospectus said.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
Aside from our big brains, the trait that most distinguishes humans from other animals is our ability to walk fully upright on two legs, a style of movement without parallel in the animal kingdom.
—Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 2 Jan. 2026
This method has certain characteristics that distinguish it from previous experimental designs.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
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New Atlas, 4 Jan. 2026
In 1926, the school would rename itself North Central College to both better represent its place in the Evangelical world and to distinguish itself from Northwestern University and Naperville, the prospectus said.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
Aside from our big brains, the trait that most distinguishes humans from other animals is our ability to walk fully upright on two legs, a style of movement without parallel in the animal kingdom.
—Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 2 Jan. 2026
This method has certain characteristics that distinguish it from previous experimental designs.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 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 7 Jan. 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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