Distinctions — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /di-ˈstiŋ(k)-shən/ dis·tinc·tion

Meaning & Definition of Distinctions

Distinctions (noun)

  1. the act of perceiving someone or something as being not the same and often treating as separate or different, the distinguishing of a difference; also, the difference distinguished
  2. something that distinguishes
  3. the quality or state of being distinguishable

Distinctions (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a quality that gives something special worth

    "has the distinction of being the oldest house in the city"

    similar: cardinal virtues, excellences, excellencies, graces, merits, values, virtues
    related: advantages, edges, pluses, superiorities
    opposite: deficiencies, demerits, disvalues
    near: blemishes, defects, failings, faults, flaws, drawbacks, minuses, negatives

  2. public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement

    "I did all of the work, and the other guy got all the distinction"

    similar: acclaim, accolades, applauses, bays, credits, glories, homages, honors, kudos, lauds, laurels, props (slang), réclames, suns
    related: celebrities, fames, renowns, reputes, compliments, encomiums, eulogies, panegyrics, toasts, tributes, acclamations, ovations, plaudits, praises, raves, rhapsodies, citations, commendations, kudos, notes, recommendations, elevations, enshrinements, enthronements, exaltations, glorifications

  3. something given in recognition of achievement

    "won a number of distinctions in her long career as an actress"

    similar: accolades, awards, blue ribbons, decorations, honors, kudos, plumes, premiums, prizes
    related: badges, crowns, cups, laurels, medals, orders, plaques, plates, ribbons, trophies, applauses, bravos, encomiums, eulogies, hallelujahs, homages, paeans, panegyrics, plaudits, tributes, citations, commendations, compliments, honorable mentions

Related Entry: Distinction (noun)

Distinction is a different word from Distinctions. The synonyms below are for distinction, not for distinctions.

  1. exceptionally high quality

    "a shop selling native handicrafts of distinction"

    similar: choiceness, excellence, excellency, first-rateness, greatness, perfection, preeminence, primeness, superbness, superiority, supremacy
    related: faultlessness, flawlessness, impeccability, perfectness, goodness, value, worth, consequence, importance, notability
    near: averageness, badness, crumminess, inferiority, mediocrity, ordinariness, worthlessness

  2. a quality that gives something special worth

    "has the distinction of being the oldest house in the city"

    similar: cardinal virtue, excellence, excellency, grace, merit, value, virtue
    related: advantage, edge, plus, superiority
    opposite: deficiency, demerit, disvalue
    near: blemish, defect, failing, fault, flaw, drawback, minus, negative

  3. public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement

    "I did all of the work, and the other guy got all the distinction"

    similar: acclaim, accolade, applause, bay(s), credit, glory, homage, honor, kudos, laud, laurels, props (slang), réclame, sun
    related: celebrity, fame, renown, repute, compliment, encomium, eulogy, panegyric, toast, tribute, acclamation, ovation, plaudit, praise, rave, rhapsody, citation, commendation, kudo, note, recommendation, elevation, enshrinement, enthronement, exaltation, glorification

  4. the fact or state of being above others in rank or importance

    "a number of physicians of national distinction serve on the staff of the teaching hospital"

    similar: dominance, eminence, noteworthiness, paramountcy, preeminence, preponderance, preponderancy, prepotency, prestigiousness, primacy, superiority, supremacy, transcendence
    related: celebrity, fame, famousness, glory, honor, kudos, renown, reputation, repute, megastardom, stardom, superstardom, greatness, illustriousness, nobleness, notableness, ascendance, ascendancy, authority, domination, dominion, influence, power, prestige, weight, infamy, notoriety
    near: insignificance, inferiority, mediocrity, obscureness, obscurity

  5. something given in recognition of achievement

    "won a number of distinctions in her long career as an actress"

    similar: accolade, award, blue ribbon, decoration, honor, kudo, plume, premium, prize
    related: badge, crown, cup, laurel, medal, order, plaque, plate, ribbon, trophy, applause, bravo, encomium, eulogy, hallelujah, homage, paean, panegyric, plaudit, tribute, citation, commendation, compliment, honorable mention

  6. the quality or state of being different

    "the distinction between the two photographic prints escapes me"

    similar: contrast, difference, disagreement, discrepancy, disparateness, disparity, dissimilarity, dissimilitude, distance, distinctiveness, distinctness, diverseness, diversity, otherness, unlikeness
    related: deviance, divergence, differentiability, discriminability, distinguishability, change, modification, variation, conflict, discord, discordance, dissension, dissent, dissidence, disunity, friction, strife, variability, variance, anomalousness, dichotomy, incompatibility, incongruence, incongruity, incongruousness, nonconformity, disproportion, imbalance, inequality, nonequivalence
    opposite: alikeness, analogousness, analogy, community, likeness, resemblance, sameness, similarity
    near: identicalness, identity, accordance, agreement, conformity, congruity, correspondence, parallelism, similitude, equality, equivalence, equivalency, homogeneity, homogeneousness, uniformity

  7. the state of being kept distinct

    "the distinction between liberty and license is often violated in today's freewheeling society"

    similar: demarcation, discreteness, discrimination, separation
    related: differentiation, isolation, segregation
    near: blurring, confusion

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Distinctions

The most common words with a similar meaning to Distinctions:

Slang: props
cardinal virtues, excellences, excellencies, graces, merits, values, virtues, acclaim, accolades, applauses, bays, credits, glories, homages, honors, kudos, lauds, laurels, réclames, suns, awards, blue ribbons, decorations, plumes, premiums, prizes

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Distinctions

Words with the opposite meaning of Distinctions:

deficiencies, demerits, disvalues

Related Words for Distinctions

advantages, edges, pluses, superiorities, celebrities, fames, renowns, reputes, compliments, encomiums, eulogies, panegyrics, toasts, tributes, acclamations, ovations, plaudits, praises, raves, rhapsodies, citations, commendations, notes, recommendations, elevations, enshrinements, enthronements, exaltations, glorifications, badges

Near Antonyms of Distinctions

blemishes, defects, failings, faults, flaws, drawbacks, minuses, negatives

Origin & Etymology of Distinctions

First known use: 13th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Distinctions

What does "Distinctions" mean?

"Distinctions" means the act of perceiving someone or something as being not the same and often treating as separate or different, the distinguishing of a difference; also, the difference distinguished. As a noun, it is defined as: the act of perceiving someone or something as being not the same and often treating as separate or different, the distinguishing of a difference; also, the difference distinguished. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Distinctions"?

Other words for "Distinctions" include cardinal virtues, excellences, excellencies, graces, merits, values, virtues and acclaim. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Distinctions" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Distinctions"?

There are 69 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Distinctions". Common alternatives include cardinal virtues, excellences, excellencies, graces, merits, values, virtues, acclaim, accolades and applauses.

What is the opposite of "Distinctions"?

Antonyms of "Distinctions" include deficiencies, demerits and disvalues. Near antonyms include blemishes, defects, failings and faults.

How do you use "Distinctions" in a sentence?

Examples of "Distinctions" in a sentence: "has the distinction of being the oldest house in the city"; "I did all of the work, and the other guy got all the distinction"; "won a number of distinctions in her long career as an actress".

Is "Distinctions" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Distinctions" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Distinctions"?

"Distinctions" is pronounced /di-ˈstiŋ(k)-shən/ and divided into syllables as dis·tinc·tion.

What is the origin of the word "Distinctions"?

First known use: 13th century.