discriminate
verb
dis·crim·i·nate
| \ di-ˈskri-mə-ˌnāt
\
\
discriminated;
discriminating
Definition of discriminate
1a
: to mark or perceive the distinguishing or peculiar features of
Depth perception may be defined as the ability to appreciate or discriminate the third dimension …— H. G. Armstrong
b
: distinguish, differentiate
discriminate hundreds of colors
2
: to distinguish by discerning or exposing differences : to recognize or identify as separate and distinct
discriminate right from wrong
especially
: to distinguish from another like object
discriminate the individual voices in the choir
1a
: to make a distinction
discriminate among historical sources discriminates between literary fiction and popular fiction
b
: to use good judgment
2
: to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit
discriminate in favor of your friends discriminate against a certain nationality
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Synonyms & Antonyms for discriminate
Synonyms
difference, differentiate, discern, distinguish, secern, separate
Antonyms
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Examples of discriminate in a Sentence
The school is not allowed to discriminate.
the human eye can discriminate between very slight gradations of color
Recent Examples on the Web
In addition, the lawsuit says the administration discriminated against his viewpoint by firing him even though other government officials who have supported Trump in the workplace have kept their job. — Eric Tucker, BostonGlobe.com, "Peter Strzok sues FBI for firing him over anti-Trump texts," 6 Aug. 2019 The National Federation of the Blind has filed a federal lawsuit against the Maryland Board of Elections, alleging blind voters are being discriminated against at the ballot box. — Luke Broadwater, baltimoresun.com, "Blind voters sue Maryland Board of Elections, alleging discrimination at ballot box," 3 Aug. 2019 Businesses and non-profits have no interest in discriminating against potential customers or other individuals who happen to have disabilities. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "Domino’s asks the Supreme Court to shut down a lawsuit requiring its website be accessible to blind people," 1 Aug. 2019 By March 16, 1960 all seven lunch counters in San Antonio voluntarily stopped discriminating. — Elaine Ayala, ExpressNews.com, "Tourists flock to corner across the Alamo and fail to see the history there," 30 July 2019 Alvarez’s lawyers, Cody Salfen and Samuel Gordon, said police reports provided by authorities at the time of the arrest didn’t mention violence against Alvarez, raising questions about whether the officers were discriminating against him. — Evan Sernoffsky, SFChronicle.com, "The Scanner: San Mateo’s first female police chief to retire; Palo Alto police rough up gay man," 29 July 2019 If allies take a stand against harassment and refuse funding by these investors who harass or discriminate against non-white, non-male startup founders, this will put even more pressure on the entire tech industry. — Allyson Kapin, Quartz, "We’ve debunked tech’s “pipeline problem.” So why aren’t more women getting funding?," 24 July 2019 Spotify filed an antitrust complaint against Apple in Europe in March claiming the company discriminates against rival subscription services in its App Store. — Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, "The Technology 202: Here are the details of the FTC's $5 billion settlement with Facebook," 24 July 2019 For much of our nation’s history, people of color – particularly women – have been marginalized and discriminated against simply because of their hairstyle or texture. — Jennifer Ford, Essence, "Hair Discrimination Is Now Illegal In The State Of New York," 20 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'discriminate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for discriminate
discriminate
verb
English Language Learners Definition of discriminate
: to unfairly treat a person or group of people differently from other people or groups
somewhat formal
: to notice and understand that one thing is different from another thing : to recognize a difference between things
See the full definition for discriminate in the English Language Learners Dictionary
discriminate
verb
dis·crim·i·nate
| \ di-ˈskri-mə-ˌnāt
\
\
discriminated;
discriminating
Kids Definition of discriminate
1
: to unfairly treat a person or group differently from other people or groups
It is against the law to discriminate on the basis of race.
2
: to be able to tell the difference between things
He can discriminate among the birds by their calls.
discriminate
verb
dis·crim·i·nate
| \ dis-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt
\
\
discriminated;
discriminating
Medical Definition of discriminate
: to respond selectively to (a stimulus)
: to respond selectively
the capacity of organisms to