How to pronounce distinguish
Say it like dih-STING-gwish. Distinguish has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STING).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce distinguish. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- STING
- gwish
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Distinguish pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- STINGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- gwishKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of distinguish
American and British speakers say distinguish in essentially the same way: /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/ in the US and /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-STING-gwish.
What does distinguish mean?
- mark as different“We distinguish several kinds of maple”
- detect with the senses“The fleeing convicts were picked out of the darkness by the watchful prison guards”“I can't make out the faces in this photograph”
- be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait; sometimes in a very positive sense“His modesty distinguishes him from his peers”
Where does distinguish come from?
From Middle English distingwen, from Old French distinguer, from Latin distinguere (“to separate, divide, distinguish, set off, adorn, literally mark off”), from di-, dis- (“apart”) + stinguere, related to English stink.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with distinguish
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of distinguish.
Questions about saying distinguish
How do you pronounce distinguish?
Say dih-STING-gwish. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/. In British English it is /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in distinguish?
Distinguish has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STING). Broken into parts: dih · STING · gwish.
Do Americans and Brits say distinguish the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/ and the British form is /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.