What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
differentiating
Example
She was good at differentiating between different types of flowers. [differentiating: verb]
Example
The teacher asked the students to write an essay differentiating between two historical events. [differentiating: present participle]
discriminating
Example
He has a discriminating taste in music and only listens to high-quality recordings. [discriminating: adjective]
Example
The chef is very discriminating when it comes to selecting ingredients for his dishes. [discriminating: present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Differentiating is less common than discriminating in everyday language, but it is more commonly used in academic or technical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between differentiating and discriminating?
Differentiating is more formal than discriminating, which can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
