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 And so that will be an opportunity where our educators can differentiate the supports that are needed for our students. — Kellye Lynn, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 Wendy’s has also historically positioned itself as a higher-quality burger chain, but Wright acknowledged that decisions made in the interest of cost and efficiency had eroded some of the food quality that historically differentiated the brand. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026 Clams, mussels, and oysters can be visually differentiated by their distinct shell structures. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026 But what differentiates them from some of their peers is the unyielding pace of their live shows, all of it delivered with the grinning joy of playing rock ‘n’ roll. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for differentiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for differentiate
  1. distinguish
  2. discriminate
Verb
  • The researchers suspect that others were created by AI that either hallucinated or, just like the AI agents browsing their file, couldn’t distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate instructions.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The debate centers on what set of images and chemical measurements will best help distinguish how the polygons formed.
    — Ashwin R. Vasavada, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of distinguish
Verb
  • Smith’s federal complaint included the same account and alleged that the school discriminated against her son because of his disability and race, including deploying pressure tactics to push her Black son out of the public school.
    — Claire Sibonney, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Smith's federal complaint included the same account and alleged that the school discriminated against her son because of his disability and race, including deploying pressure tactics to push her Black son out of the public school.
    — Claire Sibonney, CBS News, 24 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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