distinguished

[dih-sting-gwisht] / dɪˈstɪŋ gwɪʃt /

ADJECTIVE

famous, outstanding

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acclaimed brilliant dignified eminent esteemed famed great honored illustrious noble notable noted prominent remarkable renowned reputable venerable well-known

STRONG

arresting celebrated high-profile imposing marked name shining signal striking

WEAK

aristocratic big-name conspicuous distingué especial extraordinary foremost glorious highly regarded memorable nonpareil noteworthy peerless royal salient singular special stately superior talked of unforgettable

Antonyms

STRONGEST

infamous insignificant lowly normal obscure ordinary stupid typical undignified unimportant unknown unremarkable unrespected

STRONG

unimpressive

WEAK

common standard unextraordinary

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She puts on an actor’s airs and walks with a distinguished posture, proud of herself and her son, even if it’s an illusion.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Most, argues the researcher, a distinguished professor of psychology at UC Riverside, say some variation of “I love you.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

The study was led by Dr. Ashok Shetty, university distinguished professor and associate director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine, together with senior research scientists Dr. Madhu Leelavathi Narayana and Dr. Maheedhar Kodali.

From Science Daily • May 26, 2026

Mr. Pozen is a distinguished senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management and a former president of Fidelity Investments.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Captain Strait swaggered out from the ranks of 234 as though he had a long and distinguished history of victory in contests of this ilk.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Vocabulary lists containing distinguished

"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

And Then There Were None

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 14–18

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!