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Synonyms

tell apart

British  

verb

  1. (tr, adverb) to distinguish between; discern

    can you tell the twins apart?

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

tell apart Idioms  
  1. Discern or distinguish, as in It's hard to tell the twins apart. [First half of 1900s]


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.

See Examples For:

They also uncovered the first evidence that dogs can tell apart several negative expressions, including anger, sadness, and fear.

From Science Daily Aug. 11, 2026

But as with protein, the functional hydration market is getting overrun by smaller brands that can be tough to tell apart.

From MarketWatch Jul. 11, 2026

Criticism and care aren’t always easy to tell apart, and disillusionment and patriotism aren’t opposites.

From The Wall Street Journal May 19, 2026

This helps vendors when related species are difficult to tell apart and is expected to reduce mislabelling.

From Salon Oct. 29, 2024

"Folly and desperation are ofttimes hard to tell apart," said Maester Luwin.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

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