verb
distinguish
To recognize a difference or make something clearly different.
Her bright red scarf distinguishes her from the other runners.
Etymology
The Latin verb means to mark off or separate. Distinguishing can recognize an existing difference or supply the feature that makes one thing stand out.
More examples
- Can you distinguish between these two shades of blue?
- I distinguish the twins by their voices.
- The test distinguishes healthy cells from damaged ones.
Forms
distinguish · distinguishes · distinguished · distinguishing
distinguishable adjective — Able to be recognized as different.
distinction noun — A difference that separates similar things.
Similar words
- differentiate
- Often emphasizes identifying specific differences between otherwise similar things.
- discern
- Emphasizes noticing something subtle rather than comparing different things.