distinguishing

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "distinguishing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that sets one thing apart from another. For example, "The distinguishing feature of the new car is its low emissions".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Today, indeed, it's the organisation's leadership itself that is brought to task, when a motion proposing the government stop distinguishing between healthcare and social care is kicked back by members after being deemed by many to be poorly framed.

The Guardian

It doesn't... JUSTICE SCALIA: Is that a principal basis for distinguishing this from other situations?

The Guardian

In fact, Churchill here was distinguishing such an "inexactitude" from a lie, in much the same way as the former cabinet secretary, Sir Robert Armstrong, told an Australian court that in its handling of the Spycatcher case the government had been "economical with the truth".

The Guardian - Opinion

It outsources the time-consuming job of distinguishing tin roofs from thatch to a web service called "Mechanical Turk", which breaks big jobs into small parts and assigns them to jobbing freelances around the world.

The Economist

JAPANESE culture places great stress on distinguishing the honne, one's genuine feelings, from the tatemae, what one must say publicly.

The Economist

As Mr MacAskill explains, this is basically useless: In a pool of thousands of companies, inevitably some are going to end up highly successful purely through luck and by looking just at performance, you've got no way of distinguishing luck and solid business strategy.

The Economist

With only his patient's word to go on, a doctor's chances of distinguishing a malingerer from somebody with a real psychological illness are slim.

The Economist

Distinguishing between the two, of course, is virtually impossible.

The Economist

Nor is a biocatalyst always the best available technology: competing chemical technology must always be evaluated alongside it.Screening (ie, distinguishing useful catalysts from uninteresting ones, or the best of a good crop) is a critical part of discovery.

The Economist

Simpler, flat-rate pricing, he argues, is likely to increase usage: discrimination would turn some users away.Indeed, he says, distinguishing between different types of traffic would mean so much technical rejigging that the openness of the internet would be destroyed.

The Economist

Yet blenders and consumers have no means of distinguishing good biofuel from bad.Biofuels from poor but sunny countries, where crops yield much more energy and costs are lower, tend to be both cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "distinguishing", ensure the context clearly specifies what is being differentiated and the basis for the distinction. This avoids ambiguity and strengthens your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "distinguishing" in contexts where the difference is already inherently obvious or doesn't add meaningful information. For example, instead of saying 'distinguishing between right and wrong,' consider a more concise phrasing like 'knowing right from wrong'.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "distinguishing" includes use as a present participle (verb form) and as an adjective. Ludwig examples show it describes the action of telling apart or recognizing unique qualities. As Ludwig AI confirm, the word can be used in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Formal & Business

19%

Science

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "distinguishing" is a grammatically sound and frequently used term, functioning both as a verb and an adjective. As seen in Ludwig's examples, it's predominantly employed in news and media, as well as formal business and science contexts, to denote the act of recognizing differences or unique features. According to Ludwig AI, "distinguishing" is correct and usable in written English and can be employed to describe something that sets one thing apart from another. When using "distinguishing", ensure clarity in specifying what is being differentiated and the grounds for the distinction to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

differentiating between

Focuses specifically on the act of noting differences between two or more things.

identifying

Emphasizes the act of recognizing or establishing what something is.

recognizing

Highlights the act of perceiving or acknowledging something.

discerning

Suggests a careful or subtle form of differentiation.

telling apart

Indicates the ability to see the difference between similar things.

telling the difference

Focuses on the act of perceiving a distinction.

making a distinction

Emphasizes the act of creating or noting a difference.

setting apart

Focuses on highlighting the unique qualities of something.

singling out

Highlights the act of selecting something from a group.

picking out

Suggests selecting something specific from a larger group.

FAQs

How can I use "distinguishing" in a sentence?

"Distinguishing" can be used as a verb to describe the act of recognizing differences, as in, "Scientists are working on distinguishing the subtle variations in the virus strains." It can also be used as an adjective, as in, "The distinguishing feature of the new model is its improved fuel efficiency."

What are some alternatives to "distinguishing"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "differentiating between", "identifying", "recognizing", or "discerning".

When should I use "distinguishing" vs. "differentiating"?

"Distinguishing" generally implies recognizing a difference that already exists, while "differentiating" can imply creating a distinction or making a difference more apparent. The phrase "differentiating between" is very close in meaning but has a slightly different emphasis.

Is "distinguishing" appropriate for formal writing?

Yes, "distinguishing" is suitable for formal writing and professional contexts. Its use indicates a careful and precise analysis, which is often valued in academic, scientific, and business communications.