Tell Apart (Verb)
Meaning 1
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".
Classification
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling.
Examples
- At first, I couldn't tell the twins apart, but after a while, I recognized their distinct mannerisms and speech patterns.
- The skilled entomologist was able to tell the very similar species of butterflies apart based on their coloration and markings.
- The dimly lit room made it hard to tell the two objects apart, but as the sun rose, I could see they were actually quite different.
- It was nearly impossible to tell the singers' voices apart as they blended together in perfect harmony.
- The historian was able to tell the genuine artifact apart from the fake one by examining the aged texture and unique symbols etched on it.
Synonyms
Hyponyms
Meaning 2
Mark as different; "We distinguish several kinds of maple".
Classification
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting.
Examples
- It is difficult to tell apart a legitimate company from a scam without proper research.
- Experts can tell apart original artworks from clever forgeries by closely examining the details.
- While some bird species look similar, experienced birdwatchers can easily tell apart different types of sparrows.
- People often cannot tell apart twins because they share the same facial features and physical characteristics.
- Even to the trained eye, it can be hard to tell apart the difference between similar gemstone varieties.