Definition

Verb (transitive) 1. To perceive or recognize the difference between two or more similar things; to distinguish. This meaning focuses on the ability to identify separate items or categories based on their unique characteristics. 2. To perceive or identify someone or something, especially with difficulty or from a distance. This meaning focuses on the act of sensory recognition, often when details are unclear.

Usage and Examples

• Meaning 1 (To distinguish):

  • The twins look so similar that only their mother can tell them apart.
  • A true expert can tell apart an original painting from a skilled forgery.
  • Can you tell apart these two species of butterfly?

• Meaning 2 (To perceive/identify):

  • It was foggy, and I couldn't tell apart the shapes in the distance.
  • With his new glasses, he could finally tell apart the individual leaves on the trees.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is almost always used in the structure "tell [object] apart" or "tell apart [object 1] and [object 2]". The objects being compared or identified are essential.
• It is commonly used in negative or interrogative constructions to express difficulty:

Variants and Related Words

• Distinguish: A more formal synonym for meaning 1.
• Differentiate: A more academic synonym for meaning 1.
• Discern: Often used for meaning 2, implying careful perception.
• Make out: A close synonym for meaning 2 (to perceive with difficulty).
• Pick out: A synonym for meaning 2 (to identify from a group).

Synonyms

• For Meaning 1: Distinguish, differentiate, discriminate, separate.
• For Meaning 2: Recognize, identify, discern, make out, pick out.

Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions

• Tell from: A closely related construction meaning to distinguish one thing from another.
  • It's hard to tell the replica from the real artifact.
• Tell the difference: A synonymous phrase.
  • Can you tell the difference between butter and margarine?

Notes

• "Tell apart" is a separable phrasal verb. When the object is a pronoun (them, us, it), it must come between "tell" and "apart": . With longer noun phrases, both structures are possible: or .

Verb

1. mark as different
   • We distinguish several kinds of maple
2. 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