tell the difference
idiom
: to see how two or more people or things are unlike each other
It's hard to tell the difference between one action movie and another.
The new version is supposed to be much better than the old one, but I can't tell the difference (between them).
Examples of tell the difference in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Prepared owners can tell the difference.
—
Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The two were flummoxed when asked how outsiders could tell the difference between them.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Scientifically, there’s no way to tell the difference between the antibodies of people who have been sick with COVID and those who have been vaccinated against it, one doctor said.
—Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice, 21 Jan. 2026
Unfortunately, too many people are unable to tell the difference.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tell the difference
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Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The two were flummoxed when asked how outsiders could tell the difference between them.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Scientifically, there’s no way to tell the difference between the antibodies of people who have been sick with COVID and those who have been vaccinated against it, one doctor said.
—Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice, 21 Jan. 2026
Unfortunately, too many people are unable to tell the difference.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tell the difference
Cite this Entry
“Tell the difference.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tell%20the%20difference. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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