discriminatory
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
treating a person or group unfairly because of their race, gender, age, or other features.
characterised by or showing prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
Simple“The company was criticized for its discriminatory hiring practices that favored younger candidates.”
In context“Legal experts argued that the new zoning laws were inherently discriminatory, as they disproportionately affected low-income families in the urban center.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
able to see or show the difference between things very clearly.
relating to the ability to perceive or make fine distinctions between similar things.
Simple“A discriminatory ear for music helps a person tell the difference between very similar notes.”
In context“The study required a highly discriminatory method of analysis to separate the subtle chemical variations in the soil samples.”
SynonymsAntonyms
“Last year, the women’s national team threatened to boycott the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup over what the players described as discriminatory treatment.”