How to Use distinctive in a Sentence

distinctive

adjective
  • He had a very distinctive walk.
  • The store sells only the most distinctive chocolates.
  • This wine has a more distinctive flavor than that one.
  • This can lead to a distinctive odor on your skin.
    — Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 1 May 2026
  • So, the lighter frame is a bit distinctive.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026
  • Yes — and their glow is one of their most distinctive traits.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
  • These distinctive plants are great for pots.
    — Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026
  • What are we left with that’s distinctive?
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
  • There’s the distinctive blond tuft, combed over.
    — Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 28 May 2026
  • Anohni’s distinctive voice is gone.
    — David Harris, SPIN, 16 June 2026
  • Their distinctive calls are a mixture of barks, growls and grunts.
    — Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Nov. 2023
  • Each white to pale blue petal has a distinctive, dark blue line along its center.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
  • The name orejas comes from their distinctive ear-like shape.
    — Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Emma bears a distinctive scar on her back.
    — Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Courbet painted with a blade rather than a brush, which gives his works a distinctive style.
    — Carol Besler, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2021
  • That distinctive orange bus will lead the way.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 June 2026
  • Where does the film’s distinctive title come from?
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Hominy and green tomatoes add a distinctive touch.
    — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026
  • The scene is made even more distinctive with the tens of thousands of pine trees that line the beach.
    — Steven Casale, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2023
  • The animal has a long tail and distinctive tufts of soft hair.
    — Erin Clack, People.com, 1 June 2025
  • There is more to the Type 01 than its distinctive look.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 24 June 2026
  • The reddish sauce gave the dish a distinctive look and a light savory top note.
    — al, 27 May 2022
  • The goal of this initiative is said to help make each brand more distinctive.
    — Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 21 Apr. 2023
  • Richard Harvey is one of those who gives the place its distinctive hue.
    — Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2022
  • The distinctive spiral design makes this wind chime a chic piece of decor as well.
    — Kate McGregor, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 2023
  • The song opens with an organ solo, which gives it a distinctive sound.
    — Paul Grein, Billboard, 18 July 2025
  • All that was visible was her face and her distinctive red hair.
    — Brian Brant, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
  • There is so much more to the vehicle than its distinctive look, though.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The all-metal plane has a distinctive look with wing-tip fuel tanks.
    — Michael Cabanatuan, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Oct. 2021
  • The people who review the movies for the most part bear those same distinctive scars.
    — Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'distinctive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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