1
as in to differentiate
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to characterize
to be an important feature of
a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity
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3
as in to identify
to find out or establish the identity of
learned at an early age to distinguish the sound of a piano in an orchestra
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
could barely distinguish the garden gate through the mist
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to classify
to arrange or assign according to type
on the exam we were asked to distinguish the specimens by acidity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distinguish
But instruments onboard the spacecraft weren't designed to distinguish between molecules forged in the moon's presumably deep ocean and those cooked up in the icy shell.
—
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Still, the only definitive way to answer this question is to return the sample to Earth, where scientists can use advanced laboratory techniques to distinguish biological from nonbiological origins.
—Amy J. Williams, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025
The companies showing off their cases with a lighter white or silvery iPhone 17 Pro in product shots mostly dodged any embarrassment, as those are harder to distinguish from Apple’s actual silver color.
—PC Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025
All black holes with the same mass and spin must be the same, with no distinguishing features.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Still, the only definitive way to answer this question is to return the sample to Earth, where scientists can use advanced laboratory techniques to distinguish biological from nonbiological origins.
—Amy J. Williams, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025
The companies showing off their cases with a lighter white or silvery iPhone 17 Pro in product shots mostly dodged any embarrassment, as those are harder to distinguish from Apple’s actual silver color.
—PC Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025
All black holes with the same mass and spin must be the same, with no distinguishing features.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguish
Verb
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These perspectives are unique to your organization and can serve as the foundation to inspire and differentiate from competitors who focus solely on product capabilities.—
Guy Murrel,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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This extra slice of American cheese differentiates the Double Cheeseburger from the McDouble.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The house, which comes with a private boat dock and direct river access, is characterized by original architectural details from the period, a steep, pitched roof with cross gables, expansive dormer windows, intricate decorative wood trim and a wrap-around porch.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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James’ lawyers have vigorously denied any allegations and characterized the investigation as an act of political revenge.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The suspect in the shooting, identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested on Friday night after his father recognized him from surveillance images and video released by investigators, authorities said.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
15 Sep. 2025
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Some of the information inadvertently made public in this way included names and email addresses, meaning the participants of the chat could be identified.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While the container comes with a month's worth of capsules, many reviewers noticed results way sooner.—
Gabriela Izquierdo,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
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Most notably the Democrats in Nevada's congressional delegation noticed.—
Peter J Reilly,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Organizations should classify what’s safe, semi-risky and fully restricted to avoid regulatory or security disasters.—
Cory McNeley,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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But the dogs in this new study developed the ability to classify their toys by function with no formal training, merely by playing naturally with their owners.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To make this vision for AI in learning a reality, with an appreciation that AI is already part of education, institutions must be discerning in their adoption and in defining what has learning value.—
Dave Tucker,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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And Camila Falquez, whose subjects have included Zendaya and Kamala Harris, shot the Oscar-winning performer Ariana DeBose as the discerning woman with a magnifying glass drawn by Lorenzo Mattotti in 1999.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The 23-year-old winger dropped from a career-high 57 points in 2023-24 to 45 last season, and finding ways to get him back on track is a top priority.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
18 Sep. 2025
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The laptop's standard 1600p screen is its standout feature, displaying superior detail and sharpness to the full HD panels often found in this price bracket.—
Charles Jefferies,
PC Magazine,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The slough, which can be seen from the BART pedestrian bridge that brings event attendees into the Coliseum grounds, also receives runoff from the Arroyo Viejo and Lion creeks, a pair of urban streams known for their pollution.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
20 Sep. 2025
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The Raiders had a chance to get even closer at the end of the half, but saw the clock run out after a Smith scramble to the five.—
Matt Roy,
Boston Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguish. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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