distinction
Pluraldistinctions
- 1The act of seeing how two or more things are different from each other.
Like sorting socks into two piles by color so you don't mix them up.
Teachers help students make a distinction between fact and opinion.
He drew a sharp distinction between borrowing money and stealing it.
Similardifferentiation, discrimination, separation, contrast
- 2A feature that makes a person or thing stand out from others of the same kind.
Like the one tree in a row that grows taller than all the rest.
The bright red roof is the house's main distinction on the street.
Quick humor is the one distinction that sets her apart from her siblings.
Similarfeature, characteristic, hallmark, peculiarity, trait
- 3A special honor or quality that shows a person or thing is better than others.
Like a gold star that shows you did better than everyone else.
She finished her degree with distinction.
Winning the prize brought him great distinction in his hometown.
Similarhonor, excellence, eminence, renown, merit
Oppositemediocrity, obscurity
- 4A point that separates one thing from another and shows they are not the same.
Like a line drawn on the ground to show where one yard ends and the next begins.
There is a real distinction between being shy and being rude.
The law makes a clear distinction between adults and children.
Similardifference, contrast, differentiation, division
Oppositesimilarity, resemblance
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of distinction apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origin
It comes from Latin, where a word meaning "to separate or distinguish" gave a noun. English got it through Old French in the late 1300s.