differentiate

verb

ˌdi-fə-ˈren(t)-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce differentiate (audio)
Definition of differentiatenext
as in to distinguish
to understand or point out the difference in it was hard at first to differentiate between the two styles of music

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of differentiate The easiest way to differentiate a tantrum from restraint collapse is to pay attention to how your child reacts to intervention during a meltdown. — Liz Regalia, Parents, 2 Aug. 2026 Sony executives were also asked how PlayStation will differentiate itself from PC gaming, which generally does not use discs. — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 The forthcoming edition will include 175 galleries from eighteen countries and territories, and the fair will also feature internal sections that serve to differentiate the offerings. — News Desk, Artforum, 31 July 2026 The Grammys couldn’t differentiate between hard rock and prog rock back then. — Jae-Ha Kim, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for differentiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for differentiate
  1. distinguish
  2. discriminate
Verb
  • Salman Al-Ansari, a Saudi geopolitical analyst, rejected the suggestion that Riyadh is unwilling to confront Iran, saying the Kingdom distinguishes between credible deterrence and military action without clear objectives.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The researchers distinguished developmental feedback from performance feedback.
    — Paula Ferrada, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of distinguish
Verb
  • Following the closures, GLAD Law filed complaints with the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities on behalf of a number of families, claiming the hospitals discriminated against patients based on their gender identity.
    — Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In 2020, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the policy discriminated against Grimm in violation of Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of discriminate

Browse Nearby Words

differential
differentiate
differentiated
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Cite this Entry

“Differentiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/differentiate. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on differentiate

Nglish: Translation of differentiate for Spanish Speakers

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