Word
indistinguishable
Phoneticsin·dis·tin·guish·able
US/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbəɫ/
UK/ˌɪndɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃəbəl/
Definition
adj. so similar to something else that you cannot see any difference between them.
adj. impossible to differentiate or tell apart from something else. Often used with the preposition 'from'.
Examples
“The fake watch is indistinguishable from the real one.”
“To the untrained eye, the two species of butterfly are indistinguishable when they are in flight.”
“Advances in synthetic materials have made some artificial fabrics indistinguishable from natural silk in both texture and appearance, even to experienced textile experts.”
Examples
simple
“The fake watch is indistinguishable from the real one.”
contextual
“To the untrained eye, the two species of butterfly are indistinguishable when they are in flight.”
complex
“Advances in synthetic materials have made some artificial fabrics indistinguishable from natural silk in both texture and appearance, even to experienced textile experts.”
Usage
Typically used predicatively after a linking verb and followed by the preposition 'from'.
Pitfall
indistinguishable to the original
indistinguishable from the original
The adjective 'indistinguishable' typically takes the preposition 'from' to indicate the point of comparison.
Real-World Examples
“Visually, the Touring is mostly indistinguishable from the more expensive Grand Touring, which is fortunate because its design is one of the vehicle’s strongest assets.” “Inevitably, these carefully curated images presented the four grand duchesses as largely indistinguishable sisters who went everywhere in matching white dresses , their expressions serene but somewhat inscrutable.” Etymology
From in- + distinguishable.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/indistinguishable