distinguish
gb/dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃ/ us/dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃ/
B1
Anglais
~ 2300
Sens
0 sens
Verbe
B1
action
1
Recognize differences between things
To see or show how things or people are different.
Schéma d’usage :
to distinguish between [A] and [B]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes omit 'between' when comparing two things, saying 'distinguish A and B' instead of 'distinguish between A and B'.
Synonymes
differentiate (More formal; often used in academic or technical contexts.)
|
tell apart (More informal; commonly used in everyday speech.)
Antonymes
confuse (Means to mistake one thing for another instead of recognizing differences.)
Collocations
distinguish clearly
|distinguish easily
|distinguish between
|hard to distinguish
|distinguish features
Thèmes
thinking
|communication
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- It's sometimes hard to distinguish between real and fake news.
- Can you distinguish the twins from each other?
- The teacher could easily distinguish the students who had studied from those who hadn't.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I can distinguish my bag from yours.
- She can distinguish the two colors.
- It is hard to distinguish the twins.
Verbe
B2
action
2
Make something seem special or different
To make someone or something special or different from others.
Schéma d’usage :
to distinguish [someone/something] from [others]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse this with 'recognize differences', but here the subject causes the difference, not observes it.
Synonymes
set apart (Informal; emphasizes the difference as unique or notable.)
|
differentiate (Formal; can imply a deliberate act of making something different.)
Antonymes
blend in (Means to appear similar to others so as not to be noticed.)
Collocations
distinguish oneself
|distinguish by
|distinguish feature
|distinguish mark
Thèmes
personal qualities
|business
|arts
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Her creative writing distinguishes her from other students.
- The company distinguishes itself by offering excellent customer service.
- A strong sense of ethics distinguishes great leaders.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Good service can distinguish a shop from others.
- Her voice distinguishes her from other singers.
- He distinguished himself in the race.
Verbe
formal
B2
action
3
Perceive something clearly
To see, hear, or know something clearly, even if it is not easy.
Schéma d’usage :
to distinguish [something] in/from [background/context]
Synonymes
discern (Formal; often used for careful observation or judgment.)
Antonymes
overlook (Means to fail to notice something that is there.)
Collocations
distinguish details
|distinguish shapes
|distinguish sounds
Thèmes
perception
|nature
|body
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- In the fog, we could barely distinguish the outline of the mountain.
- She could distinguish his voice from across the noisy room.
- From this distance, it's hard to distinguish any details.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I can distinguish his voice in the crowd.
- She can distinguish the shape of the boat in the fog.
- It is hard to distinguish the road in the dark.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
distinguish
API
GB/dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃ/
US/dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃ/
Syllabes et accentuation
dis - tin - guish (3 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tin)
Formes du mot
Verb
- Base: distinguish
- 3rd Person Singular: distinguishes
- Present Participle: distinguishing
- Past: distinguished
Famille de mots
Forms
distinguishes
verb
distinguishing
verb
distinguished
verb
Core family
Related words
distinguishable
adjective
distinctively
adverb
distinctiveness
noun
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
distinguish between A and B
1/dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃ bɪtwˈin ə ˈænd bˈi/
fixed phrase
Recognize differences between two things
To see how two things are not the same.
Exemples
- It's important to distinguish between facts and opinions.
- Can you distinguish between these two types of fabric?
distinguish oneself
1/dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃ wˌʌnsˈɛlf/
fixed phrase
Do something that makes you stand out positively
To do something very well so that people notice you.
Exemples
- She distinguished herself during the competition by her skill and determination.
- He distinguished himself as a leader during the crisis.