- [countable] distinction (between A and B) a clear difference or contrast especially between people or things that are similar or related
- distinctions between traditional and modern societies
- Philosophers did not use to make a distinction between arts and science.
- We need to draw a distinction between the two events.
Extra Examples- Cultural distinctions lie at the heart of these issues.
- Is there always an absolute distinction between right and wrong?
- It was a subtle distinction but a very important one.
- No legal distinction existed between cities and other corporations.
- She draws an important distinction between the different kinds of illness.
- The distinction between amateur and professional players is being blurred.
- We can see a sharp distinction between ambition and greed.
- a society without distinctions of class and privilege
- making invidious distinctions between the ‘deserving’ and the ‘undeserving’ poor
- the conventional distinction between pure and applied science
- She tends to blur the distinctions between family and friends.
- We need to draw a distinction between democratic socialism and social democracy.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- critical
- crucial
- important
- …
- draw
- make
- note
- …
- lie
- exist
- without distinction
- distinction between
- distinction of
- …
Definitions on the go
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- [uncountable] the act of separating people or things into different groups
- distinction (between A and B) The new law makes no distinction between adults and children (= treats them equally).
- without distinction All groups are entitled to this money without distinction.
- [singular] the quality of being something that is special
- She had the distinction of being the first woman to fly the Atlantic.
Extra Examples- Fennel leaves add distinction to any dish.
- Though they fought with distinction, they suffered heavy casualties.
- New York does not have the nation's oldest subway system; that distinction belongs to Boston.
- Wearing the county tie was a mark of modest social distinction.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- great
- dubious
- …
- have
- achieve
- earn
- …
- belong
- of distinction
- with distinction
- [uncountable] the quality of being excellent or important
- a writer of distinction
Extra Examples- She is a historian of great distinction.
- She achieved distinction in several fields of scholarship.
- The cast performed with some distinction.
- Election to the NAE is an indication of professional distinction.
- He served with distinction in the First World War.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- great
- dubious
- …
- have
- achieve
- earn
- …
- belong
- of distinction
- with distinction
- [countable, uncountable] a special mark or award that is given to somebody, especially a student, for excellent work
- Naomi got a distinction in maths.
- with distinction He graduated with distinction.
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘subdivision, category’): via Old French from Latin distinctio(n-), from the verb distinguere, from dis- ‘apart’ + stinguere ‘put out’.
Idioms
See distinction in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee distinction in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englisha distinction without a difference
- a point that somebody wants to suggest is a difference when in fact it is not different at all
- His government did not brand them terrorists, but rather ‘an entity that supports terrorism’. That may prove to be a distinction without a difference.
Check pronunciation:
distinction