DISTINGUISHES Synonyms: 154 Similar and Opposite Words

distinguishes

verb

present tense third-person singular of distinguish

as in differentiates

to understand or point out the difference in even at such a young age, he could distinguish the calls of various birds

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as in characterizes

to be an important feature of a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity

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as in identifies

to find out or establish the identity of learned at an early age to distinguish the sound of a piano in an orchestra

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in notices

to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes could barely distinguish the garden gate through the mist

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in classifies

to arrange or assign according to type on the exam we were asked to distinguish the specimens by acidity

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of distinguishes What distinguishes the vendors who’ve truly learned is resilience, not promises. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 That’s what distinguishes durable goods from nondurable goods like food, fuel, and other everyday necessities. — Doug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 June 2026 When we are surrounded by machines that know a lot about a lot of subjects, what really distinguishes people is their desire to work hard and put knowledge to creative effect. — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 What distinguishes American English from its counterpart across the pond? — Literary Hub, 1 July 2026 Sonnett’s resumé distinguishes her as one of the most accomplished players in NWSL playoff history. — Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 25 June 2026 What distinguishes Ryan is not simply his talent, but his unwavering dedication to meaningful, adventurous filmmaking. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 17 June 2026 Kelce spotlighting Swift’s intelligence A true golden retriever boyfriend distinguishes himself by appreciating his partner’s smarts. — Emma Specter, Vogue, 2 July 2026 What distinguishes Union County from a standard addiction narrative is that Poulter and Centineo are flanked by nonactors, the overall effect hovering somewhere between fiction and nonfiction. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinguishes

Verb

But the scope of AI creators’ inquiry is expanding beyond the humanities and human philosophizing to deeper spiritual questions of what differentiates wisdom from intelligence or factual knowledge from how character is molded.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2026
In the accessible luxury bridal segment, Olivia Bottega differentiates itself through made-to-order production, customization, convertible designs, and a growing wholesale network that allows brides to experience the collection both online and in bridal salons.

— Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

Definition of differentiates

Verb

Resilience characterizes many young basketball players at SCC Dixon said.

— Nicole Gregory, Oc Register, 25 June 2026
Under that view, a taxpayer who actively participates in management should not receive the benefit simply because state law characterizes the interest as a limited partnership interest.

— Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

Definition of characterizes

Verb

Michigan, which typically identifies about 50 cases of cyclosporiasis in a year, has reported at least 170 cases, clustered in seven counties, over the past nine days, according to the state’s Department of Health.

— Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
And most interestingly, her chyron identifies her as a Freelance Journalist with no further explanation.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 2 July 2026

Definition of identifies

Verb

Making the room feel too formal Brooke Sabia of Phase 4 Design Group always notices when a living room skews more formal in order to differentiate it from the family room or other more casual areas of the home.

— Madeline Bilis, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2026
And the Tarrant County restaurant scene notices that.

— Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026

Definition of notices

Verb

The development bank classifies a country as upper-middle-income if its 2025 GNI per capita fell between $4,636 and $14,375.

— Angelica Ang, Fortune, 3 July 2026
The World Health Organization classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, – the same category as tobacco and asbestos.

— Emma Fenske, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

Definition of classifies

Verb

Headquartered in China’s eastern Jiangsu province, the company sees advanced packaging as a strategic priority as demand grows for more powerful and efficient chips, the South China Morning Post reported.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 2026
Habitat for Humanity ReStore sees higher demand for patio furniture and planters in summer.

— Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 4 July 2026

Definition of sees

Verb

Leaving Boise State as the winningest quarterback in college football history, Moore enjoyed a short NFL career as a backup before turning to the coaching ranks with the Dallas Cowboys.

— Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026
Why Lawrence, Kansas ranks high The article goes into the history of Lawrence, summarizing the establishment of the town by abolitionists, political violence, and being a stop for the Underground Railroad.

— Emily Harter, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026

Definition of ranks

Verb

Imagine a supply chain agent that checks inventory levels regularly, spots potential shortfalls, keeps a list of alternative suppliers and makes purchases when needed.

— Greg Pavlik, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
The venue that emphasized cocktails was run by Pearl Street Hospitality, the group behind Denver spots Hudson Hill, Lady Jane and The Wild.

— Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 25 June 2026

Definition of spots

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“Distinguishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinguishes. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of distinguishes

verb

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