distinction

American  

[dih-stingk-shuhn] / dɪˈstɪŋk ʃən /

noun

• distinctions
  plural

1. a marking off or distinguishing as different.

   His distinction of sounds is excellent.

2. the recognizing or noting of differences; discrimination.

   to make a distinction between right and wrong.

3. a discrimination made between things as different; special regard or favoritism.

   Death comes to all without distinction.

4. condition of being different; difference.

   There is a distinction between what he says and what he does.

   Antonyms:

   resemblance

5. a distinguishing quality or characteristic.

   It has the distinction of being the oldest house in the town.

6. a distinguishing or treating with special honor, attention, or favor.

7. an act of bestowing, or a mark of, honor or favor.

8. marked superiority; note; eminence.

   Synonyms:

   importance, renown

9. distinguished appearance.

10. Obsolete. division; separation.

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distinction British  

/ dɪˈstɪŋkʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of distinguishing or differentiating

2. a distinguishing feature

3. the state of being different or distinguishable

4. special honour, recognition, or fame

5. excellence of character; distinctive qualities

   a man of distinction

6. distinguished appearance

7. a symbol of honour or rank

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Synonym Usage

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

Derived Forms

• subdistinction
  noun
• underdistinction
  noun
• distinctionless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• distinctions
  plural

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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

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Explanation

When you are marked for distinction, it means you are someone who is going to do well in life. You will set yourself apart from others. Distinction means being set apart, often by excellence. When things are distinct from one another, they are different. It is the distinctions that make them this way. In your school, an outside observer might at first be unable to see the distinctions among the kids, but with a little time they'll be able to see how kids are identified and associated with their peculiar qualities.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

distinction distinctions

The distinction is similar to the difference between assembling a group of people and asking people who are already gathered to turn and face the same way.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 15, 2026

As it happens, some of the buses belonged to the Satmar Hasidic community, which rejects Zionism on religious grounds, but the distinction escaped whoever vandalized the buses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026

Before signing with the professional venture affiliated with KSI's Misfits, Riley wanted the distinction made clear.

From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026

I keep coming back to that distinction: Reis is still performing belonging.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2026

Before they knew it, a team from Deutsche Bank agreed to pay a call on Cornwall Capital to determine if they were worthy of the distinction: Deutsche Bank institutional customer.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

And those distinctions can make a difference in what a beneficiary pays.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026

Throughout a life in politics, he racked up offices and distinctions: state treasurer, judge, state senator and Assembly member, and the first Latino that California sent to Congress, after his governorship.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

He would presumably object that passengers pay different prices for different benefits; that premium cabins help make the economics work; and that abolishing those distinctions would leave everyone with fewer choices and a worse airline.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

If that framework does not fully capture the underlying structure of language, systems built around it could overlook important distinctions in what people communicate.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026

Social distinctions and chiefly powers increased on high-density islands with large political units, being especially marked on Tonga and the Societies.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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Related Words

• characteristic
• contrast
• difference
• differentiation
• discrepancy
• discrimination
• divergence
• division
• judgment
• nicety
• perception
• quality
• sensitivity
• separation

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