distinguishing

American  

[dih-sting-gwi-shing] / dɪˈstɪŋ gwɪ ʃɪŋ /

adjective

1. distinctive; characteristic, as a definitive feature of an individual or group.

   Intricate rhyming is a distinguishing feature of her poetry.

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Other Word Forms

• distinguishingly adverb
• nondistinguishing adjective
• self-distinguishing adjective
• undistinguishing adjective
• undistinguishingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of distinguishing

First recorded in 1660–70; distinguish + -ing ²

Example Sentences

In the study, one chelator was able to capture metal ions effectively, but it did so without distinguishing between different types.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

The only distinguishing features were a few hurried strips of grilled chicken and a light dusting of Tony Chachere’s — not stirred into the sauce, mind you, but sprinkled on top, like an afterthought.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

"Iran appears to be distinguishing between a country's alliance and its active participation in the conflict."

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Pangram boasts that its tool is far better than other AI detectors at distinguishing human from AI text.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

She too thought she would have no problem distinguishing among them, because they looked nothing alike, but like everyone else before her, she gradually found that she could not tell one from the other.

From "Sula" by Toni Morrison