distinct
Americanadjective
-
distinguished as not being the same; not identical; separate (sometimes followed byfrom ).
His private and public lives are distinct.
- Synonyms:
- individual, discrete
-
different in nature or quality; dissimilar (sometimes followed byfrom ).
Gold is distinct from iron.
-
clear to the senses or intellect; plain; unmistakable.
The ship appeared as a distinct silhouette.
- Synonyms:
- well-defined, sharp, unlike, distinguishable, disparate, different
- Antonyms:
- indistinct
-
distinguishing or perceiving clearly.
distinct vision.
-
unquestionably exceptional or notable.
a distinct honor.
-
Archaic. distinctively decorated or adorned.
adjective
-
easily sensed or understood; clear; precise
-
(when postpositive, foll by from) not the same (as); separate (from); distinguished (from)
-
not alike; different
-
sharp; clear
-
recognizable; definite
a distinct improvement
-
explicit; unequivocal
-
maths logic (of a pair of entities) not identical
-
botany (of parts of a plant) not joined together; separate
Usage
What are other ways to say distinct?
The adjective distinct is used to describe things that are clearly distinguished from others. How does distinct compare to synonyms different, various, and diverse? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
- distinctly adverb
- distinctness noun
Etymology
Origin of distinct
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin distinctus, “divided off,” past participle of disting(u)ere “to divide off, pick out, distinguish,” from di- di- 2 + sting(u)ere (unrecorded), presumably, “to prick, mark by pricking”; instinct 1, instigate
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.
Companies that previously sold to the masses now need to deploy two distinct playbooks: one for cash-strapped shoppers and another for higher-income consumers buoyed by rising stock markets.
And this year at Camelback Ranch, the 25-year-old has cut a distinct figure on the mound as he works on his consistency and pitch mix.
From Los Angeles Times
The regimen combines two distinct medications, one fewer than Biktarvy, into a single treatment.
From Barron's
In the 19th and 20th centuries, it helped the city become a bustling metropolis, home to sizable European diasporas and a distinct cosmopolitan culture.
From Barron's
Those musical detours are crucial to breaking up the episodes into distinct sections and provide renewed points of interaction in videos that often last between 40 minutes and an hour.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions 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.
