distinct.

1. Different or separate enough to be identified as its own thing.

2. Clear enough to be unmistakably noticed or perceived.

3. Clearly present or appreciable rather than merely faintly possible or suggested.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• distinct stages
• distinct roles

On the page

The narrative gave the two sisters distinct roles rather than treating them as opposites.

The inquiry separated three distinct stages in the decision-making process.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Comparative more distinct; superlative most distinct where gradation is meaningful. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, interpretation, contrast, characterization. Disciplines: prose writing, literary analysis, advanced general English. Commonness: common.