distinguish
To see or show how two things are different.
distinguish in a sentence
- It is hard to distinguish the twins until they speak.
- A good cook can distinguish butter from margarine by smell alone.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to distinguish?
- Aidentify
- Bconfuse
- Cmix
- Dmuddle
Show the answer
A: identify. The other three mean the opposite of distinguish.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to distinguish?
- Aconfuse
- Bseparate
- Crecognise
- Didentify
Show the answer
A: confuse. The other three mean nearly the same as distinguish.
Words that mean something similar
identify, separate, recognise
Words that mean the opposite
confuse, muddle, mix
More words about thinking & learning
- dubious: Not sure whether something is true or can be trusted.
- endeavour: To try very hard to do something.
- engrossed: So interested in something that you notice nothing else.
- enlighten: To explain something so that someone understands it clearly.
- enthral: To hold someone's full attention with delight.
- essential: So important that you cannot manage without it.
- establish: To set something up, or to prove that something is true.
- evaluate: To think carefully about how good or useful something is.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test