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.
She has a firm idea about the distinction between two very different theories of citizenship: jus soli, based on soil, and jus sanguinis, based on descent.
From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026
“It is trading scarcity, and that distinction changes everything.”
From MarketWatch • Mar. 29, 2026
Otherwise, the main distinction is presenting these chapters from the viewpoints of two of the Bible’s most famous women.
From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026
"It doesn't measure financial health and the report is clear on that distinction," Ghazi says.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
This critical distinction reflects how we think about the people who were victims trapped in a powerful system.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
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.
