dis
ting
uish
Third Person
distinguishes
Present Participle
distinguishing
Past Tense
distinguished
Past Participle
distinguished
1
to recognize and mentally separate two things, people, etc.
transitive
- The detective could distinguish the authentic painting from the clever forgery.
- She could easily distinguish between identical twins by their personalities.
- The expert distinguishes between authentic and counterfeit artworks.
- Teachers aim to help students distinguish between fact and opinion in critical thinking.
- She easily distinguishes between different types of flowers in the garden.
2
to perceive or identify someone or something with clarity
transitive
- In the fog, I could barely distinguish the shapes of the trees.
- From a distance, it was hard to distinguish the mountain peaks against the cloudy sky.
- He could distinguish the sound of her voice among all the others in the noisy room.
- I could barely distinguish the small text on the page without my glasses.
- With the lights dimmed, it was hard to distinguish the faces in the photograph.
3
to be the distinctive feature or characteristic between two things, people, etc.
transitive
- The bright red color distinguishes this car from the others in the lot.
- The unique design of the building distinguishes it from others in the city.
- His calm demeanor distinguishes him from the more energetic team members.
- The taste of fresh herbs distinguishes this dish from the others.
- The sharp edges of the leaf distinguish it from other plants in the garden.
Synonyms:
4
to sort or divide things into different groups based on their features or qualities
transitive
- Scientists distinguish species by examining their genetic traits.
- The art curator distinguished paintings by style, organizing the gallery accordingly.
- The classification system distinguishes animals based on their habitat and behavior.
- The coach distinguished the players by position, creating teams for the match.
- The teacher distinguished the students into groups based on their reading levels.
5
to make something conspicuous or noteworthy by discerning it
transitive
- The artist distinguished the main character by using bold colors in the painting.
- He distinguished himself at the competition by finishing first.
- The chef distinguished the dish with a garnish that added a pop of color.
- The designer distinguished the outfit with a custom-made accessory.
- His quick thinking distinguished him as a leader in the crisis.