discriminate

verb

dis·​crim·​i·​nate di-ˈskri-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce discriminate (audio)
discriminated; discriminating
Synonyms of discriminate

intransitive verb

1
: to unfairly treat a person or group differently from other people or groups on a class or categorical basis (such as race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation)
to illegally/unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex/race/age
… the court ruled the ID law was intended to discriminate against voters of color …—Laura Kusisto
2
a
: to make a distinction
… depression doesn't discriminate and can affect people from all walks of life.—Nikki Brown
b
: to use good judgment
fostering an ability to discriminate

transitive verb

1
a
: to mark or perceive the distinguishing or peculiar features of
Depth perception may be defined as the ability to appreciate or discriminate the third dimension …—H. G. Armstrong
b
: distinguish, differentiate
discriminate hundreds of colors
2
: to recognize or identify as separate and distinct
discriminate right from wrong
especially : to distinguish from another like object
discriminate the individual voices in the choir

Did you know?

Although many methods or motives for discriminating are unfair and undesirable (or even illegal), the verb itself has a neutral history. English speakers borrowed it from the past participle of the Latin verb discriminare (meaning "to distinguish or differentiate"), which, itself, is derived from the verb discernere, meaning "to distinguish between." Discernere, in turn, was formed by combining the prefix dis- (meaning "apart") and cernere ("to sift"). Other descendants of discernere include discern and discernible (as you no doubt guessed), discreet, and indiscretion. In addition, the root cernere gives us concern, certain, decree, and even secret.

Synonyms of discriminate

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Examples of discriminate in a Sentence

The school is not allowed to discriminate. the human eye can discriminate between very slight gradations of color
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Critics say the revisions discriminate against people based on their family background or gender and put pressure on younger members of the royal family to produce male offspring. — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026 Claiming that they are being harshly discriminated against due to their religion and conservative beliefs, the couple asks help from Mia, an attorney, to represent their case in the Norwegian court. — Tomris Laffly, Time, 23 Oct. 2026 In other words, the suit claims that the reparations program illegally discriminates on the basis of race — in this case, discriminating against people who are not Black. — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 The complaint alleged that Skyline discriminated against men by listing scholarships on its website that are exclusively for women and for promoting a program for women. — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for discriminate

Word History

Etymology

Latin discriminatus, past participle of discriminare, from discrimin-, discrimen distinction, from discernere to distinguish between — more at discern

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of discriminate was in 1615

Rhymes for discriminate

See All Rhymes for discriminate

Browse Nearby Words

discriminant function
discriminate
discriminating
See all Nearby Words

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Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Discriminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discriminate. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

discriminate

verb
dis·​crim·​i·​nate dis-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce discriminate (audio)
discriminated; discriminating
1
a
: to see the special features of
discriminate the geologic features of an area
b
: distinguish sense 1, differentiate
discriminate hundreds of colors
2
: to be able to tell the difference especially between similar things
discriminate between a tree and a bush
3
: to treat some people better than others without any fair or proper reason
discriminable
-ə-nə-bəl
adjective

Medical Definition

discriminate

verb
dis·​crim·​i·​nate dis-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce discriminate (audio)
discriminated; discriminating

transitive verb

: to respond selectively to (a stimulus)

intransitive verb

: to respond selectively
the capacity of organisms to discriminate—J. A. Swets

Legal Definition

discriminate

intransitive verb
dis·​crim·​i·​nate dis-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce discriminate (audio)
discriminated; discriminating
: to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit
especially : to make a difference in treatment on a basis prohibited by law (as national origin, race, sex, religion, age, or disability) see also bona fide occupational qualification, equal protection, reverse discrimination, suspect class, Civil Rights Act of 1964
discrimination
dis-ˌkri-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce discriminate (audio)
noun
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