What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
differentiate
Example
It's important to differentiate between fact and opinion. [differentiate: verb]
Example
The teacher asked the students to differentiate between the different types of clouds. [differentiate: verb]
distinguish
Example
The singer's voice was so distinctive that it was easy to distinguish her from other singers. [distinguish: verb]
Example
The chef's use of spices really distinguished his cooking from others. [distinguished: past tense verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Differentiate is more commonly used than distinguish in everyday language. Differentiate is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while distinguish is less common and tends to be used in more formal or academic settings.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between differentiate and distinguish?
Distinguish is generally considered more formal than differentiate. While both words can be used in academic or professional contexts, distinguish is often used to describe exceptional or outstanding qualities, making it more formal in tone.
