in sharp distinction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "in sharp distinction" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize a clear difference or contrast between two or more things. Example: "The artist's style is in sharp distinction to the traditional techniques used by her contemporaries."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

This was in sharp distinction to the motives of his sometimes allies--the genuinely racist Bosnian Serb leaders, who rained mortar and artillery rounds down upon Sarajevo.

The New Yorker

And in a paper just published in arXiv.org, an online database, he claims they do indeed exist.In this section Going round in circles Energy drain Slithering through the air ReprintsOnce upon a timeThe Penrose version of cosmology stands in sharp distinction to received wisdom.

The Economist

In sharp distinction to prior studies that rely on endogenous protein and RNA cargo, tagged retrovirus vectors allow us for the first time to prospectively follow genome trafficking in the donor (1° target) cell.

Plosone

In sharp distinction to the classical tissue engineering conception, it does not contemplate the creation in vitro or in situ of a living tissue, but the induction of healing and adaptive remodeling through host's cell engraftment and natural physiological conditioning (body as a bioreactor).

BioMed Research International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

These critics charged that Wilson and his colleagues were ignoring the considerable explanatory accomplishments of kin selection theory and, from a theoretical standpoint, were mistaken in drawing a sharp distinction between kin selection (which they reject) and "standard natural selection theory" (which they accept).

The New York Times - Books

The ability hypothesis follows Ryle (1949) in drawing a sharp distinction between propositional knowledge or knowledge-that (such as 'Mary knows that snow is white') and knowledge-how (such as 'Mary knows how to ride a bike'), and then suggests that all Mary gains is the latter.

SEP

Winter fires are more concentrated in and around cities and along the roads, and show sharp distinction in high and low hazard regions compared to the annual fires.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

But the difference in their ages when they immigrated — he at 15, she at 16 — means a sharp distinction in the way they approach their futures now.

The New York Times

Specifically, the entire metabolism-related OTUs in different hams had sharp distinction indicating that the different years fermenting benefits the Jinhua ham flavor formation for their difference of complex metabolism, which depends on their own well-balanced bacteria community.

AMB Express

However, contemporary scientific theories of imagery (see sections 4.4 and 4.5) also, for the most part, do not make a sharp distinction in kind between mental images and percepts, and are virtually unanimous in holding (as, indeed, did Hume) that both are varieties of a single species.

SEP

Democrats had hoped to roll into Philadelphia as a unified party prepared to draw a sharp distinction in tone and substance to Trump, who, at his party's own convention in Cleveland last week, offered a bleak and frightening view of modern American life.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "in sharp distinction" to highlight a significant and easily noticeable difference between two or more things. This phrase is effective when you want to emphasize that the contrast is not subtle.

Common error

Avoid using "in sharp distinction" when the contrast is minor or insignificant. Using it for small differences can make your writing sound exaggerated or unnatural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in sharp distinction" functions as a prepositional phrase, typically used to introduce a contrasting element or to highlight a significant difference between two or more things. It adds emphasis to the dissimilarity, as shown in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "in sharp distinction" is used to highlight a notable difference between two entities. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is grammatically correct and is effectively used to introduce a point of contrast. While relatively rare in occurrence, it finds use in both scientific and news-related contexts. When writing, remember to use it when emphasizing a significant dissimilarity, avoiding its use for minor differences. Alternatives include "in marked contrast" or "in stark contrast".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in marked contrast

Replaces "sharp distinction" with "marked contrast", emphasizing the noticeable difference.

in stark contrast

Uses "stark contrast" to suggest a very clear and obvious difference.

in clear distinction

Emphasizes the clarity of the difference, rather than its intensity.

in notable divergence

Shifts focus to the act of diverging or moving apart, implying a difference.

by way of sharp contrast

Adds "by way of" to explicitly frame the contrast as a means of comparison.

differing significantly

Expresses the contrast as an action of differing, highlighting the degree of difference.

bears little resemblance

Emphasizes a lack of similarity rather than a direct contrast.

presents a contrast

Simplifies the phrase to a more direct statement of contrast.

offers a divergence

Uses 'offers' to make the contrast more apparent or intentional.

sets apart significantly

Highlights the act of distinguishing one thing from another in a notable way.

FAQs

How can I use "in sharp distinction" in a sentence?

You can use "in sharp distinction" to emphasize a notable difference between two things. For example, "His leadership style was "in sharp distinction" to his predecessor's".

What are some alternatives to "in sharp distinction"?

Alternatives include phrases like "in stark contrast", "in marked contrast", or "in clear distinction". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "in sharp distinction to" or "from"?

"In sharp distinction to" is the more common and grammatically appropriate phrasing. While "from" might be understood, "to" clearly indicates the item being contrasted.

What's the difference between "in sharp distinction" and "distinctly different"?

"In sharp distinction" is a prepositional phrase used to highlight a difference, whereas "distinctly different" is an adjectival phrase describing the degree of difference itself. For example, "Their approaches were "in sharp distinction"," versus "Their approaches were distinctly different."