Word
distinguish
Phoneticsdis·tin·guish, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
UK/dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃ/
Definitions
01to tell apart
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to notice or understand the difference between two things.
v. to perceive or identify a difference between two or more entities. Often used with 'between' or 'from'.
日本語:区別する※
“At this distance, it is hard to distinguish the real diamond from the glass one.”
“Young children often find it difficult to distinguish between their own imaginative play and reality, especially when they are tired.”
Usage
Commonly takes the preposition 'between' or 'from'.
Pitfall
It is hard to distinguish the twins with each other.
It is hard to distinguish the twins from each other.
Use 'distinguish from' or 'distinguish between', not 'with'.
Synonyms
02to see clearly
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to see, hear, or recognize something clearly when it is difficult to do so.
v. to perceive a specific stimulus clearly through the senses, typically against a background of noise or visual clutter.
日本語:見分ける※
“Through the thick fog, we could just distinguish the shape of a tall building.”
“The witness struggled to distinguish the suspect's facial features in the grainy security footage provided by the police.”
Usage
Often used with 'can' or 'could' to describe ability.
Antonyms
03to make yourself famous
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to do something so well that people notice you as being special or better than others.
v. to make oneself prominent or worthy of special recognition through specific achievements. Reflexive use is standard.
“She distinguished herself as a brave reporter during the war.”
“The young scientist distinguished himself early in his career by publishing a groundbreaking paper on renewable energy.”
Usage
Almost always used reflexively (distinguish oneself).
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “distinguish” in context.
Verb
01. distinguish type
“The software is designed to distinguish the type of file automatically.”
verb + noun
Adverb
02. reliably distinguish
“Even experts cannot always reliably distinguish between the original and the copy.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“The resulting fMRI scans showed distinct activity patterns for fear, anger, and sadness, suggesting that dogs can distinguish between these facial expressions.” “Once the points have been merged, we cannot distinguish between them to send them back to the right positions.” “Scientists will also need to better distinguish between the liquid and ice phases inside the clouds.” “The paper distinguishes between highly specific properties and broader categories.” Etymology
From Middle English distingwen, from Old French distinguer, from Latin distinguere (“to separate, divide, distinguish, set off, adorn, literally mark off”), from di-, dis- (“apart”) + stinguere, related to English stink. Compare extinguish.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/distinguish
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0