differentiate

[dif-uh-ren-shee-eyt]

verb (used with object)

differentiated, differentiating 

1. to form or mark differently from other such things; distinguish.

2. to change; alter.

3. to perceive the difference in or between.

   Synonyms: separate

4. to make different by modification, as a biological species.

5. Mathematics.,  to obtain the differential or the derivative of.

verb (used without object)

differentiated, differentiating 

1. to become unlike or dissimilar; change in character.

2. to make a distinction.

3. Biology.,  (of cells or tissues) to change from relatively generalized to specialized kinds, during development.

differentiate

/ ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to serve to distinguish between

2. to perceive, show, or make a difference (in or between); discriminate

3. (intr) to become dissimilar or distinct

4. maths to perform a differentiation on (a quantity, expression, etc)

5. (intr) (of unspecialized cells, etc) to change during development to more specialized forms

Other Word Forms

• differentiation noun
• interdifferentiate verb (used with object)
• redifferentiate verb
• self-differentiating adjective
• undifferentiated adjective
• differentiator noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of differentiate¹

First recorded in 1810–20; from Medieval Latin differentiātus distinguished (past participle of differentiāre ), equivalent to Latin different(ia) difference + -ātus -ate ¹

Synonym Study

See distinguish.

Example Sentences

The ruling could differentiate between "reciprocal" tariffs seeking to narrow trade gaps and others imposed to crack down on fentanyl entering the United States, added Majerus, a partner at law firm King & Spalding.

Read more on Barron's

“What we’re excited about is the opportunity to really be a differentiated specialty materials business…we are going to be a growth company.”

Read more on Barron's

“Continued strength in the Microsoft Cloud reflects the growing customer demand for our differentiated platform.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“With differentiated competitive advantages, clear strategic direction and building execution momentum, we believe we are exceptionally well-placed to win into the future.”

Read more on MarketWatch

AI can scan, flag, and analyze at speeds humans cannot, but it still lacks context, nuance, and the human intuition necessary to differentiate between chips and guns, mischief and menace.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• adapt 
• alter 
• diversify 
• modify 
• transform 
• vary