DISCRIMINATING Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

discriminating 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈskri-mə-ˌnā-tiŋ

Definition of discriminating

as in discriminatory

favoring, applying, or being unequal treatment of different classes of people accused of discriminating practices in the hiring of employees

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in characteristic

serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group a discriminating feature of poison ivy is a compound leaf with three mitten-shaped leaflets

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

discriminating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of discriminate

as in differentiating

to understand or point out the difference in the human eye can discriminate between very slight gradations of color

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 discriminating

Adjective

Special effects were progressing with varying results, but intelligent storytelling was leading the charge as viewers became more discriminating. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2025 Insurers, alerted to the problem and granted permission to respond, grew more discriminating in their underwriting and more probing in their investigations. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025

Verb

The investigation against Nike, however, did not stem from a worker charge but from a complaint that Lucas filed herself in May 2024, alleging that the company was discriminating against white employees. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 The lawsuit challenged the policy as unconstitutionally vague and as violating the First Amendment by discriminating against certain viewpoints. — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for discriminating

Recent Examples of Synonyms for discriminating

Adjective

When the community is hostile toward or distrustful of a particular minority group, police may feel that discriminatory behavior toward that group is justified.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Other retailers have also pulled merchandise that critics deemed racially insensitive, discriminatory or offensive after public backlash and social media protests.

— Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of discriminatory

Adjective

While cognitive decline is far more common among individuals over 65 years, some genetic mutations cause the same characteristic loss of memory and mental processing in children.

— Mike McRae August 26, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
But the link was far less clear between dementia and lower stages of CTE, or even those whose brains had been found to be free of the disease's characteristic buildups of tau protein.

— Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of characteristic

Verb

But cultivating consumer trust, as opposed to pursuing rapid product expansion and chasing virality, has become a defining — and differentiating — aspect of Westman Atelier’s go-to-market model.

— Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
Meta is differentiating its new AI coding tool and Muse Spark family of models by price rather than capabilities when compared to popular offerings from from Anthropic and OpenAI, Wang said.

— Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of differentiating

Adjective

In recent days, the United States proposed new terms that were uneconomic, unfair and undermine the net benefits for Canada, and called into question the reliability of any deal.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
And many of the 1970s nationalization of most major oil companies holdings in oil exporting nations were partly due to the sense that the original concession agreements were unfair.

— Michael Lynch, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of unfair

Adjective

These challenging conditions are precisely what make a summer off-road safari such a distinctive way to experience Iceland’s rugged interior.

— Gwen Nicol, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026
Meghna Gulzar has a very distinctive voice and an ability to approach difficult subjects with both restraint and intensity.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinctive

Verb

In recent years, white supremacists have embraced the concept of lactose intolerance as a distinguishing debility of nonwhite people.

— Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
The app offers a free entry-level service, while distinguishing itself with an option for 3-D modeling of a client’s cellar, starting at $1,500 to $5,000.

— Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinguishing

Adjective

Lee said her ultimate vision is to use BodyCodes to filter search results for the user, so she will only be served jeans from brands that fit her distinct shape.

— Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Tel-Rea, the Jedi character, is almost entirely melee-focused, but comes with her own entirely distinct skills and combat abilities, essentially requiring you to build your party around her.

— Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinct

Adjective

Netflix has worked assiduously to burnish its reputation as a home for advertisers seeking to align themselves with its popular programs and eager to avoid the traditional model of deploying typical 30-second commercials.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
However, this gets an all-new rear suspension with leaf springs; that setup allows for a greater payload than a typical torsion beam axle.

— Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of typical

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“Discriminating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discriminating. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of discriminating

adjective

verb

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