distinguished
Americanadjective
-
made conspicuous by excellence; noted; eminent; famous.
a distinguished scholar.
- Synonyms:
- illustrious, renowned
-
having an air of distinction, dignity, or eminence.
a distinguished old gentleman.
adjective
-
noble or dignified in appearance or behaviour
-
eminent; famous; celebrated
Related Words
See famous.
Other Word Forms
- distinguishedly adverb
- nondistinguished adjective
- well-distinguished adjective
Etymology
Origin of distinguished
First recorded in 1700–10; distinguish + -ed 2
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 distinguished herself writing episodes of weird, atmospheric series including Netflix’s “Brand New Cherry Flavor,” a nightmarish exploration of witchcraft and filmmaking in 1990s L.A., and “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities,” also for Netflix.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
"The best resistance training program is the one you'll actually stick with," says Stuart Phillips, distinguished professor in the Department of Kinesiology and an author on the Position Stand.
From Science Daily • Mar. 19, 2026
In January, the SEC issued guidance on tokenization that distinguished between tokenized securities issued by the companies themselves and those issued by third-party such as exchanges.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026
Not because Mullin, a wealthy plumbing baron from Oklahoma who’s served in Washington since 2013, has a distinguished legislative record.
From Slate • Mar. 7, 2026
They looked distinguished in their khaki uniforms, boots shining, half of a yellow sun sewn on their sleeves.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
