discriminate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
discriminates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
discriminated,
past participle, past
-
discriminating
present participle
-
to make a distinction in favor of or against a person or thing on the basis of the group, class, or category to which the person or thing belongs rather than according to actual merit; show partiality.
The new law discriminates against foreigners. He discriminates in favor of his relatives.
-
to note or observe a difference; distinguish accurately.
to discriminate between things.
verb (used with object)
-
discriminates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
discriminated,
past participle, past
-
discriminating
present participle
-
to make or constitute a distinction in or between; differentiate.
a mark that discriminates the original from the copy.
-
to note or distinguish as different.
He can discriminate minute variations in tone.
adjective
verb
-
(intr; usually foll by in favour of or against) to single out a particular person, group, etc, for special favour or, esp, disfavour, often because of a characteristic such as race, colour, sex, intelligence, etc
-
to recognize or understand the difference (between); distinguish
to discriminate right and wrong
to discriminate between right and wrong
-
(intr) to constitute or mark a difference
-
(intr) to be discerning in matters of taste
adjective
Synonym Usage
See distinguish.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
discriminatornoun
-
prediscriminateverb (used with object)
-
half-discriminatedadjective
-
undiscriminatedadjective
-
discriminatelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
discriminatesimple
-
discriminatessimple
-
have discriminatedperfect
-
has discriminatedperfect
-
am discriminatingprogressive
-
are discriminatingprogressive
-
is discriminatingprogressive
-
have been discriminatingperfect progressive
-
has been discriminatingperfect progressive
Past
-
discriminatedsimple
-
had discriminatedperfect
-
was discriminatingprogressive
-
were discriminatingprogressive
-
had been discriminatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of discriminate
First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin discrīminātus “separated,” past participle of discrīmināre “to separate”; see discriminant
Explanation
When you discriminate between two things, you can tell the difference between them and can tell them apart. The ability to discriminate between similar objects is important. For example, if you want to be a good root farmer, it helps if you can discriminate between a turnip and a parsnip. However, some people take it too far and discriminate against other people, treating them differently based on their physical characteristics or abilities. To be able to discriminate between a turnip and a radish is good, but to discriminate against people is not.
Vocabulary lists containing discriminate
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Dear Martin
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933–2020) Tribute List
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In some jurisdictions such as Michigan, New York City and San Francisco, it is against the law to discriminate based on height and weight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
He added the condition "doesn't discriminate", and learning children could also be affected spurred him on to share his story.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
As a condition of being tax-exempt, nonprofit private schools must attest that they won’t discriminate based on race, color, or national or ethnic origin.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
If there was a minor traffic infraction or other probable cause to make a stop, proving their motive requires them to confess to acting with intent to discriminate, Willis said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Matters in physics have now reached such a pitch that, as Paul Davies noted in Nature, it is "almost impossible for the non-scientist to discriminate between the legitimately weird and the outright crackpot."
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, one of the court’s three liberal justices, said the Idaho law discriminates against people based on their sex or gender identity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 13, 2026
District Judge David O. Carter wrote that the outsourcing “facially discriminates against veterans based on their disabilities.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2024
Papers issued as part of the case claim her decision discriminates against Kneecap on grounds of religious belief or political opinion, as well as racial grounds of nationality and ethnic origin.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2024
Evangelis resisted the conclusion that Grants Pass discriminates against people without housing.
From Slate ● Apr. 22, 2024
She assigns her reasons for the choice of her historians, and discriminates between the two authors.
From Calamities and Quarrels of Authors by Isaac Disraeli
“Today’s report provides irrefutable evidence that the nation’s largest banks have denied, debanked and discriminated against customers and lawful businesses,” Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
He said: "The defender conceded that the defender discriminated against the pursuer, contrary to the provisions of the Equalities Act."
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The earlier ruling found that Grover had indirectly discriminated against Tickle.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
“My dad had gone bust again, and I chose to work three jobs and go to Yale instead. I always felt like if I outperformed, I wouldn’t be discriminated against.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
You are no longer eligible for food stamps; you may be discriminated against in employment; you cannot vote for at least twelve years; and you are about to be evicted from public housing.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
It is language that courts have long interpreted as preventing the government from discriminating against the media based on the content of their coverage.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
Is the iPhone Duo discriminating against left-handed users?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
District Judge Fernando M. Olguin granted the city’s motion to dismiss the complaint, which alleged that the city ordinance violates the intergovernmental immunity doctrine by regulating and discriminating against the federal government.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
The chief justice declared that the way to end racial discrimination was to stop discriminating based on race.
From Salon ● May 9, 2026
The school wasn’t as discriminating as the better-known medical colleges in Boston; the press of acceptances necessitated an expansion.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
