1
as in excellence
exceptionally high quality
a shop selling native handicrafts of distinction
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Relevance
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2
as in advantage
a quality that gives something special worth
has the distinction of being the oldest house in the city
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3
as in accolade
public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement
I did all of the work, and the other guy got all the distinction
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4
as in dominance
the fact or state of being above others in rank or importance
a number of physicians of national distinction serve on the staff of the teaching hospital
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5
as in award
something given in recognition of achievement
won a number of distinctions in her long career as an actress
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6
as in difference
the quality or state of being different
the distinction between the two photographic prints escapes me
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7
as in separation
the state of being kept distinct
the distinction between liberty and license is often violated in today's freewheeling society
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of distinction
With extreme weather events seemingly more the norm and their victims too often increasingly unnoticed and forgotten, the region’s climate casualties garner the dubious distinction of Worst Year in Asia.
—
Curtis S. Chin and Jose B. Collazo, CNBC, 25 Dec. 2024
Russian speakers in the experiment proved faster than English speakers at distinguishing shades that corresponded to that lexical distinction.
—Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
For tech leaders, strategic partnerships with sports events and organizations present a moment of distinction to not only deepen their connections with audiences but also showcase their products at work.
—Josh Bruni, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
How people answered that question tended to reflect a lot about their larger beliefs – about the benefits of democracy, the importance of family, the distinctions between the U.S and Cuba, and immigration writ large.
—Code Switch, NPR, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distinction 
Curtis S. Chin and Jose B. Collazo, CNBC, 25 Dec. 2024
Russian speakers in the experiment proved faster than English speakers at distinguishing shades that corresponded to that lexical distinction.
—Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
For tech leaders, strategic partnerships with sports events and organizations present a moment of distinction to not only deepen their connections with audiences but also showcase their products at work.
—Josh Bruni, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
How people answered that question tended to reflect a lot about their larger beliefs – about the benefits of democracy, the importance of family, the distinctions between the U.S and Cuba, and immigration writ large.
—Code Switch, NPR, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinction
Noun
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Data and strategy combined tend to drive operational excellence as well.Elise Awwad, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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Given Samberg played almost all of his minutes with Pionk and Pionk has now played many minutes with more chaotic partners, most models credit Samberg for the pair’s defensive excellence.Murat Ates, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Sensing that this dad was open to being chatted up, Colvin sat next to him and tried to use raw honesty to his advantage.Brendan I. Koerner, WIRED, 13 Jan. 2025
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That actually worked to Naperville North’s advantage.Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This selection of 20 of the world’s finest gins has repeatedly earned high accolades in the most prestigious spirits competitions.Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
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Begin and Sadat were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978 — an accolade Carter himself would receive in 2002 for his peace and human rights efforts around the world.Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025
Noun
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His retirement in 1981 spelled the end of a three-decade run of Australian male dominance that included 17 victories in the Davis Cup team event from 1950 to 1977.Cindy Shmerler, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
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Though, in truth, minorities’ dominance of MMA is nothing new.Charlie Campbell, TIME, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Similarly, only ambulatory surgery centers that scored high in quality care and patient safety were eligible for the Top ASC award.Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2025
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So far, only the nominees for the BAFTA EE Rising Star award have been announced, with Anora’s Mikey Madison, Unstoppable’s Jharrel Jerome, and Industry alumni Marisa Abela, David Jonsson, and Nabhaan Rizwan revealed to be in the running for that prize on January 7.Radhika Seth, Vogue, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Sorensen said any water utility that serves an area with large differences in elevation will have similar limitations.Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
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Here, then, are most*** of the 2024 House races sorted by the difference between their margins and the presidential margins in their districts.Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Certain moments from the season stand out in this regard, where gaining separation hasn’t been quite as easy.John Hollinger, The Athletic, 1 Jan. 2025
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This process blesses the host’s entire extended family, as only the destitute beggar who is without family has the power to protect them from separation or spiritual misfortune.Nyya Toussaint / Made by History, TIME, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Education was considered an individual pursuit marked by moral excellency and only the students who did the best in school would have proceeded to higher education.Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2024
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Zurich said the Game Changer Award pays tribute to excellency in the film business with a focus on leaders that not only cherish change and forward-thinking approaches in the business, but also stand for the DNA of what cinema has represented since its invention.Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near distinction
Cite this Entry
“Distinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinction. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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