tell the difference

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That mordant humor, however enjoyable, tiptoes around the unanswerable question of how, or even whether, we can tell the difference between cosplay and the real thing.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

“It ends up really getting people at a place where they’re not skeptical and not able to tell the difference between what’s voluntary and where the influencer is acting as a paid spokesperson.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

Liam said that the uniforms helped people to tell the difference but they would often "look twice" when they were called out.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

Their measurements allowed them to identify separate stages of cancer development, tell the difference between activated and inactive immune cells, and distinguish cancerous regions from healthy regions in human breast tissue.

From Science Daily • May 18, 2026

I can tell the difference between my brothers’ breathing in their sleep.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz