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
However, the legislation does not distinguish levels of participation in drug trafficking.
—
Nathaly Triana, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Since each bot is a legitimate internet device, distinguishing between attack traffic and regular user traffic can be extremely difficult, making DDoS attacks challenging to defend against.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
His minor-league career is distinguished above all else by more walks than strikeouts in 1216 PAs, a rare feat indeed.
—Jake Ciely, The Athletic, 10 Mar. 2025
And Deli Boys distinguishes itself from the glut of gangster stories by situating itself within specific cultures, both Pakistani American and Philadelphian.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
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.
Nathaly Triana, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Since each bot is a legitimate internet device, distinguishing between attack traffic and regular user traffic can be extremely difficult, making DDoS attacks challenging to defend against.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
His minor-league career is distinguished above all else by more walks than strikeouts in 1216 PAs, a rare feat indeed.
—Jake Ciely, The Athletic, 10 Mar. 2025
And Deli Boys distinguishes itself from the glut of gangster stories by situating itself within specific cultures, both Pakistani American and Philadelphian.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distinguish
Cite this Entry
“Distinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distinguish. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share