DISTINGUISH Synonyms: 154 Similar and Opposite Words

distinguish

verb

di-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish

Definition of distinguish

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

as in to characterize

to be an important feature of a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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.

Recent Examples of distinguish More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its figures but says around half were women and children. — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 Tinnitus can involve both peripheral mechanisms in the ear and changes within the central auditory system, and the study could not distinguish between these possibilities. — Mike McRae 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026 Set the scene Right away, there's a sense of arrival reminiscent of a city chic hotel with a grand lobby entry distinguished by a long, arched colonnade comprised of iron ceiling panels with a grapevine-like pattern. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 The fuel is marked with a small amount of red dye, so that inspectors can distinguish it from regular diesel. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distinguish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguish

Verb

Pools, hot tubs, and in-unit laundry may differentiate some Miami property types, particularly larger homes, although their relationship to revenue can vary across comparable listings and submarkets.

— Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
What differentiates the Museum Voorlinden from other collector museums around the world?

— Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of differentiate

Verb

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by episodes of bingeing followed by purging.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Company officials characterized the pace as methodical at the outset, followed by an aggressive push toward commercial licensing.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of characterize

Verb

But that condition applies to all affectionate bonds and doesn’t, on its own, identify attachment.

— Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026
Markings depicted on an image of a Kalinga warrior from an indigenous group in the Philippines were inaccurate and none of the artists involved in creating the mural identified as Asian, Asian American or Pacific Islander.

— Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of identify

Verb

In the early 1980s, while researching his screenplay of Scarface in Miami, Oliver noticed not only the rise of cocaine, but of a young, emerging millionaire class.

— Michael Douglas, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
General Daily Insight for October 08, 2026 Today favors noticing what could work better without turning every imperfection into a crisis.

— Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of notice

Verb

Time spent with an app cannot discern this, because seeking comfort from an app and looking after an app that claims to miss you can look very similar.

— Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026
The house that bears his name has long demonstrated an equally discerning eye for colored gemstones.

— Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of discern

Verb

Soaker bathtubs, gas fireplaces, and sofas for curling up with a good book are found here, too.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Not only does Jeong-yo have an emotional connection to his music performance that Pi-o struggles to find himself, but Pi-o has injured his pinky in the leadup to the final performance, thanks to his obsessive practicing.

— Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of find

Verb

But the argument for Oura’s valuation depends on whether or not investors are seeing it as a single-product hardware maker or something bigger and more expansion potential.

— Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026
Audiences unaware that Altman is gay might pick up on subtle hints in Garfield’s performance, before Musk jokes about it during a dinner scene or a boyfriend is finally seen well into the film.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026