distinction
Americannoun
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a marking off or distinguishing as different.
His distinction of sounds is excellent.
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the recognizing or noting of differences; discrimination.
to make a distinction between right and wrong.
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a discrimination made between things as different; special regard or favoritism.
Death comes to all without distinction.
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condition of being different; difference.
There is a distinction between what he says and what he does.
- Antonyms:
- resemblance
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a distinguishing quality or characteristic.
It has the distinction of being the oldest house in the town.
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a distinguishing or treating with special honor, attention, or favor.
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an act of bestowing, or a mark of, honor or favor.
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marked superiority; note; eminence.
- Synonyms:
- importance, renown
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distinguished distinguished appearance.
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Obsolete. division; separation.
noun
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the act or an instance of distinguishing or differentiating
-
a distinguishing feature
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the state of being different or distinguishable
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special honour, recognition, or fame
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excellence of character; distinctive qualities
a man of distinction
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distinguished appearance
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a symbol of honour or rank
Related Words
Distinction and difference may both refer to perceivable dissimilarities and, in this meaning, may be used interchangeably: There is a distinction ( difference ) between the two. Distinction, however, usually suggests the perception of dissimilarity, as the result of analysis and discrimination: a carefully made distinction between two treatments of the same theme; whereas difference refers only to the condition of being dissimilar: the difference between Gothic and Roman architecture. “A distinction without a difference” is a way of referring to an artificial or false discrimination. See honor.
Other Word Forms
- distinctionless adjective
- subdistinction noun
- underdistinction noun
Etymology
Origin of distinction
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English distinccioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin distinctiōn-, stem of distinctiō “difference”; equivalent to distinct + -ion
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.
Under international law, there is no distinction between a state carrying out the attack and those which have supported that state, if the latter has "knowledge of the circumstances of the internationally wrongful act".
From BBC
“There’s a distinction about whether someone is allowed to do something and whether we’ve caught them for breaking the rule,” Zuckerberg said in response to repeated questioning.
From Los Angeles Times
Mr. Newsom has the distinction of being the first governor of California since statehood in 1850 to see the state’s congressional delegation shrink, from 53 representatives to 52 after the 2020 census.
Worldly success, he comes to see, is no sign of genuine distinction.
From Los Angeles Times
The first part of the national licensure exam that determined residency placement has also been changed to pass/fail, further blurring the distinction between mediocre and excellent.
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.
