Showing results for "distinguishing"

• present participle of distinguish.

distinguishing

American  

[dih-sting-gwi-shing] / dɪˈstɪŋ gwɪ ʃɪŋ /

adjective

1. distinctive; characteristic, as a definitive feature of an individual or group.

   Intricate rhyming is a distinguishing feature of her poetry.

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Other Word Forms

• nondistinguishing
  adjective
• self-distinguishing
  adjective
• undistinguishing
  adjective
• distinguishingly
  adverb
• undistinguishingly
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of distinguishing

First recorded in 1660–70; distinguish + -ing ²

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

distinguishing

Instead of reflecting a system that has simply stopped distinguishing between different memories, these responses might involve a brain mechanism that shifts too quickly from recognizing safety to anticipating danger.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

The distinguishing features of the Qatari airplane are its size, comfort, and the luxury of its interior furnishings, points Trump has gushed over.

From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2026

Wearing drill-sergeant regalia, Porowski instructs a group of hapless male shopper actors in such supermarket fundamentals as distinguishing celery from leeks, checking expiration dates and identifying ripe bananas.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026

They love to extol the merits of delayed gratification and distinguishing between wants and needs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

The second distinguishing characteristic of these two examples is that in both cases little changes had big effects.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

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