tell the difference

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.

That mordant humor, however enjoyable, tiptoes around the unanswerable question of how, or even whether, we can tell the difference between cosplay and the real thing.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

People can tell the difference between a golfer and, well, a chancer.

From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026

“It ends up really getting people at a place where they’re not skeptical and not able to tell the difference between what’s voluntary and where the influencer is acting as a paid spokesperson.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

Their measurements allowed them to identify separate stages of cancer development, tell the difference between activated and inactive immune cells, and distinguish cancerous regions from healthy regions in human breast tissue.

From Science Daily • May 18, 2026

It would be tempting to invite her in, for in the depths of grief, sometimes one cannot tell the difference between illusion and reality.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo