WordLens

differentiate

1 of 1verb
/ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃiˌeɪt/
Forms:differentiates,differentiating,differentiated,differentiated
1

to recognize the difference present between two people or things

C1transitive
  • The teacher helps her students differentiate between similar-sounding words by highlighting their distinct meanings and usage.
  • She is currently differentiating between the various types of flowers in the garden.
  • The two products are clearly differentiated by their packaging and branding.
  • Can you please differentiate between the symptoms of flu and those of a common cold?
  • The color scheme helped differentiate one design from another.
2

to be something that marks two things or people as completely distinguished or different

transitive
  • The bright red dress really differentiates her from the rest of the guests.
  • The new technology differentiates this company from its competitors.
  • Her unique style differentiates her from other artists in the gallery.
  • The custom features of the product differentiate it from others on the market.
  • His voice differentiates him from other singers in the competition.
Synonyms:
3

to develop unique qualities or features that make something stand out from others

  • The two cultures differentiated in their traditions and values.
  • The landscape started to differentiate, with forests giving way to deserts.
  • Over the years, their relationship differentiated, evolving into a deeper connection.
  • The two cities differentiated in terms of architecture and urban planning.
  • Over time, the two brands have differentiated by focusing on different target markets.
4

(of a cell or organism) to change or develop in a way that makes something distinct or unique from others

  • As the plants grow, they differentiate into various shapes and sizes.
  • The cells in the embryo begin to differentiate into specialized tissues.
  • In the early stages of growth, the cells differentiate into various specialized types.
  • In biology, cells differentiate into specialized types during development.
Antonyms:
5

to cause a cell to develop into a more specialized form during its growth process

transitive
  • In embryonic development, certain signals differentiate cells into specialized tissue types.
  • The growth factors in the body differentiate stem cells into muscle cells.
  • Scientists are studying how hormones differentiate cells in the brain.
  • The genetic material in a zygote can differentiate cells into various organs.
  • The presence of certain proteins can differentiate skin cells into nerve cells.
6

to find the derivative of a function, essentially determining how it changes at each point

transitive
  • In calculus, we differentiate a function to understand its rate of change.
  • To solve the problem, we need to differentiate the equation with respect to time.
  • The professor showed us how to differentiate the function step by step.
  • By differentiating the function, we can find its slope at any given point.
  • In this problem, you need to differentiate the equation before integrating it.
Antonyms: