tell apart

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tell apart

The twins are hard to tell apart.

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 .
tell apart

The twins are hard to tell apart.

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

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