distinctions

noun

plural of distinction
1
as in advantages
a quality that gives something special worth has the distinction of being the oldest house in the city

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in accolades
public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement I did all of the work, and the other guy got all the distinction

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in awards
something given in recognition of achievement won a number of distinctions in her long career as an actress

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 distinctions The dispute is how to represent those distinctions without crediting routine carbon circulation as additional sequestration. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026 This expansion of Hoodoo’s geography and urban shift also brought about a level of homogenization and the decline of regional distinctions. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 Such a designation constitutes one of our era’s most respectable distinctions. — Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026 The states must resist, regardless of the political affiliation and ideology of their leaders; the pathogens that can and will kill their children do not, after all, observe these political distinctions. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026 Similarly, some people experience anger, sadness, and fear as different versions of bad, while others experience each one distinctly—and can make even finer distinctions among, say, anger, irritation, and frustration. — Angela Haupt, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 The concept was introduced in the 19th century by Karl Marx, who wanted to abolish private property and dissolve class distinctions in order to more fairly distribute resources. — Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 The recent disclosures illustrate how quickly those distinctions can become politically significant. — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2026 The challenge is that today's probabilistic enterprise AI systems largely conceal those distinctions. — Sharon K Daniels, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinctions
  1. advantages
  2. accolades
  3. awards
  4. virtues
  5. glories
  6. prizes
  7. values
  8. honors
Noun
  • The argument about competition against girl athletes is a reasonable one, though apparently very limited in number of events and any advantages.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Among the states granted early slots, only Nevada and New Mexico offer clear advantages to progressives.
    — Zak Hudak, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of advantages
Noun
  • Mensah has received numerous preseason accolades — he was voted the ACC’s preseason player of the year and is on multiple preseason watch lists for annual awards.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026
  • His flagship restaurant in Oakland’s Temescal district, Burdell, has won a number of accolades – snagging first place in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 restaurants list for 2025 and also Food & Wine’s Restaurant of the Year for 2024.
    — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of accolades
Noun
  • The awards will debut at the event’s 2026 iteration, which will take place at the Javits Center in New York September 24–27, and will highlight artists from the Caribbean.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Companies without a booking can pay more to cross the Panama Canal through an auction that awards slots to the highest bidder.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of awards
Noun
  • This distinction matters because several of these characteristics can actually be virtues.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Today, young people are increasingly frustrated with the hypocrisy of politicians lecturing them about the virtues of voting while in practice facilitating disengagement.
    — David Neil, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of virtues
Noun
  • The privileged hillside location is well removed from the crowds, yet Florence and all its Renaissance glories is a mere 20-minute ride on the complimentary shuttle bus.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Both of them have erotic fixations with that original Miasma, which requires stepping back into the movie — and the glories of the disreputable genre itself.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of glories
Noun
  • Harding and Powell have been making the rounds at parades and festivals where meat raffles offer oversized sausages as prizes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The location pros behind Best Picture Oscar winner One Battle After Another and nominee Marty Supreme won the film prizes at the 2026 LMGI Awards, with the Pluribus, Fallout and Black Rabbit teams taking TV honors.
    — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of prizes
Noun
  • The son of a nurse and school caretaker, the values instilled in him by his parents and older brother were crucial to building a strong work ethic.
    — Gregg Evans, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Employees, partners and clients see the values behind the business, not just the business itself.
    — Sergey Stopnevich, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of values
Noun
  • The film screened at the Berlinale and won the Golden Biznaga for best Ibero-American film, along with Silver Biznaga honors for best director and cinematography at the Málaga International Film Festival.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Overall, 24 Bulldogs have earned preseason honors over that span.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of honors

Browse Nearby Words

distinction
distinctions
distinctive
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Cite this Entry

“Distinctions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinctions. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of distinctions for Spanish Speakers

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