Distinguishable — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /di-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish/ dis·tin·guish

Meaning & Definition of Distinguishable

Distinguishable (verb)

  1. to perceive a difference in, mentally separate
  2. to mark as separate or different
  3. to separate into kinds, classes, or categories

Distinguishable (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. able to be perceived by a sense or by the mind

    "an evening star easily distinguishable by the naked eye"

    similar: appreciable, apprehensible, detectable, discernible, palpable, perceptible, sensible
    related: audible, observable, tangible, visible, clear, conspicuous, evident, eye-catching, manifest, noticeable, obvious, plain, ponderable, prominent, striking, apparent, distinct, identifiable, significant, straightforward
    opposite: impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indistinguishable, insensible, undetectable
    near: inaudible, intangible, invisible, inconspicuous, indistinct, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, faint, insignificant, slight, trivial, buried, concealed, covert, disguised, hidden, obscure, shrouded, vague

  2. being not of the same kind

    "snowflakes are distinguishable from each other under a microscope"

    similar: different, disparate, dissimilar, distant, distinct, distinctive, diverse, nonidentical, other, unalike, unlike
    related: divers, miscellaneous, mixed, several, sundry, variant, varied, various, differentiable, discriminable, alternate, alternative, individual, particular, peculiar, single, disproportionate, divergent, unequal
    opposite: alike, identical, indistinguishable, kin, kindred, like, parallel, same, similar
    near: equal, selfsame, equivalent, tantamount, akin, analogous, comparable, homological, homologous, related, homogeneous, homogenous, uniform

Related Entry: Distinguish (verb)

Distinguish is a different word from Distinguishable. The synonyms below are for distinguish, not for distinguishable.

  1. to understand or point out the difference in

    "even at such a young age, he could distinguish the calls of various birds"

    similar: difference, differentiate, discern, discriminate, secern, separate
    related: contradistinguish, comprehend, grasp, know, understand, divide, part, sever, demarcate, mark (off), set off
    opposite: confuse, mistake, mix (up)
    near: confound, lump (together), mingle

  2. to be an important feature of

    "a collection of recipes distinguished by their ease and simplicity"

    similar: characterize, mark
    related: differentiate, customize, individualize, particularize

  3. to find out or establish the identity of

    "learned at an early age to distinguish the sound of a piano in an orchestra"

    similar: finger, ID, identify, pinpoint, single (out), put one's finger on
    related: diagnose, determine, find, locate, pick out, place, recognize, spot, check, examine, inspect, investigate, notice, observe, scrutinize, betray, disclose, discover, reveal
    near: camouflage, conceal, disguise, hide, counterfeit, feign, sham, simulate

  4. to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes

    "could barely distinguish the garden gate through the mist"

    similar: behold, catch, descry, discern, espy, eye, look (at), note, notice, observe, perceive, regard, remark, see, sight, spot, spy, view, witness, get a load of (slang), lay eyes on, set eyes on
    related: identify, make out, pick out, pick up, attend (to), consider, heed, mark, mind, study, watch, examine, inspect, scan, scrutinize, survey, glance (at), glimpse, peer (at)
    near: disregard, ignore, neglect, overpass, pass over, miss, overlook

  5. to arrange or assign according to type

    "on the exam we were asked to distinguish the specimens by acidity"

    similar: assort, break down, categorize, class, classify, codify, compartment, compartmentalize, digest, distribute, grade, group, peg, place, range, rank, relegate, separate, sort, type
    related: array, dispose, draw up, marshal, order, organize, systematize, alphabetize, catalog, file, index, list, refer, pigeonhole, shelve, identify, recognize, cull, screen, set, sieve, sift, winnow, clump, cluster, colligate, recategorize, reclassify, regroup, subcategorize
    near: confuse, disarrange, jumble, lump, mix (up), scramble, misclassify, missort, mistype

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Distinguishable

The most common words with a similar meaning to Distinguishable:

appreciable, apprehensible, detectable, discernible, palpable, perceptible, sensible, different, disparate, dissimilar, distant, distinct, distinctive, diverse, nonidentical, other, unalike, unlike

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Distinguishable

Words with the opposite meaning of Distinguishable:

impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indistinguishable, insensible, undetectable, alike, identical, kin, kindred, like, parallel, same, similar

Related Words for Distinguishable

audible, observable, tangible, visible, clear, conspicuous, evident, eye-catching, manifest, noticeable, obvious, plain, ponderable, prominent, striking, apparent, identifiable, significant, straightforward, divers, miscellaneous, mixed, several, sundry, variant, varied, various, differentiable, discriminable, alternate

Near Antonyms of Distinguishable

inaudible, intangible, invisible, inconspicuous, indistinct, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, faint, insignificant, slight, trivial, buried, concealed, covert, disguised, hidden, obscure, shrouded, vague, equal, selfsame, equivalent, tantamount, akin, analogous, comparable, homological, homologous, related, homogeneous

Word Forms of Distinguishable

Inflections: distinguished, distinguishing, distinguishes

Derived words: distinguishability (noun), distinguishable (adjective), distinguishably (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Distinguishable

alteration of Middle English distinguen, from Anglo-French distinguer, from Latin distinguere, literally, to separate by pricking, from dis- + -stinguere (akin to Latin instigare to urge on) stick

First known use: 15th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Distinguishable

What does "Distinguishable" mean?

"Distinguishable" means to perceive a difference in, mentally separate. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to perceive a difference in, mentally separate. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Distinguishable"?

Other words for "Distinguishable" include appreciable, apprehensible, detectable, discernible, palpable, perceptible, sensible and different. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Distinguishable" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Distinguishable"?

There are 56 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Distinguishable". Common alternatives include appreciable, apprehensible, detectable, discernible, palpable, perceptible, sensible, different, disparate and dissimilar.

What is the opposite of "Distinguishable"?

Antonyms of "Distinguishable" include impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indistinguishable, insensible, undetectable, alike and identical. Near antonyms include inaudible, intangible, invisible and inconspicuous.

How do you use "Distinguishable" in a sentence?

Examples of "Distinguishable" in a sentence: "an evening star easily distinguishable by the naked eye"; "snowflakes are distinguishable from each other under a microscope".

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

"Distinguishable" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Distinguishable"?

"Distinguishable" is pronounced /di-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish/ and divided into syllables as dis·tin·guish.

What is the origin of the word "Distinguishable"?

"Distinguishable" comes from alteration of Middle English distinguen, from Anglo-French distinguer, from Latin distinguere, literally, to separate by pricking, from dis- + -stinguere (akin to Latin instigare to urge on) stick. First known use: 15th centuryt.