- distinction
- noun1 clear differenceADJECTIVE▪ critical, crucial, important, key, main, major, vital▪ basic, essential, fundamental▪ clear, clear-cut, obvious, real, rigid, sharp, strong▪ fine, subtle▪
It was a subtle distinction but a very important one.
▪ broad, general▪ simple▪ logical▪ meaningful, significant, useful, valid▪ arbitrary, artificial, false, meaningless▪ absolute▪Is there always an absolute distinction between right and wrong?
▪ conventional, old, traditional▪the conventional distinction between pure and applied science
▪ categorical, conceptual, formal, qualitative, semantic, theoretical▪ legal, moral▪ class, cultural, gender, racial, socialVERB + DISTINCTION▪ draw, make▪She draws an important distinction between the different kinds of illness.
▪ note, recognize, see, understand▪We can see a sharp distinction between ambition and greed.
▪ blur, collapse, erase (esp. AmE), obscure▪The distinction between amateur and professional players is being blurred.
DISTINCTION + VERB▪ lie▪Cultural distinctions lie at the heart of these issues.
▪ exist▪No legal distinction existed between cities and other corporations.
PREPOSITION▪ without distinction▪All groups are entitled to this money without distinction (= without a difference being made between them).
▪ distinction between▪ distinction of▪a society without distinctions of class and privilege
2 excellence/fameADJECTIVE▪ considerable, great▪ dubious▪ rare▪ unique▪ academic, intellectual, professional, social▪Election to the NAE is an indication of professional distinction.
VERB + DISTINCTION▪ have▪He has the dubious distinction of being the world's most famous gangster.
▪ achieve, earn▪She achieved distinction in several fields of scholarship.
DISTINCTION + VERB▪ belong▪New York does not have the nation's oldest subway system; that distinction belongs to Boston.
PREPOSITION▪ of distinction▪She is a historian of great distinction.
▪ with distinction▪He served with distinction in the First World War.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
