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.

---

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of distinguishing

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

distinguishing

Kalshi’s latest oddball ad takes a more explanatory approach than its recent spots, explicitly distinguishing prediction markets from traditional sportsbooks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

"Bristle worm jaws also showed size-dependent elasticity. This is a distinguishing feature of bio-metals when compared to standard crystalline metals like copper or silver," said author Christian Hellmich.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026

Inspecting roofs, especially distinguishing between wind and hail damage, involves a certain degree of subjective judgment.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026

X-Energy has early commercial agreements with Amazon and Dow, distinguishing it from competitors.

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

I wanted to tell her that I did have some small difficulty in distinguishing colors, but that I could detect odors very well.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers