Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after adjectives

Distinguishable from, by, in, on or as?

Distinguishable from is the standard pattern for telling things apart. Distinguishable by explains the feature used to identify something.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with distinguishable?

Use distinguishable from for difference and distinguishable by for identifying features. In, on, and as usually belong to separate expressions rather than fixed adjective patterns.

The fake is barely distinguishable from the original.
The species are distinguishable by their markings.
The sound was distinguishable in the distance.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
distinguishable from + noun

Showing that two things can be told apart

Use from when comparing one thing with another.

Her voice is easily distinguishable from her sister's.
The copy was hardly distinguishable from the original painting.
2
distinguishable by + feature

Naming the identifying feature

By introduces the characteristic used for recognition.

The birds are distinguishable by their red tails.
The models are distinguishable by the shape of the handle.
3
distinguishable in + context

Describing where something can be perceived

In usually introduces the surrounding context rather than a fixed pattern.

The melody was still distinguishable in the noise.
Her accent remained distinguishable in conversation.
4
distinguishable as + category

Identifying something as a type or role

As introduces a category or identity.

The ruins are still distinguishable as an old fort.
The figure was barely distinguishable as human.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
distinguishable from
The two fabrics are distinguishable from each other.
standard pattern for telling things apart
distinguishable by
The insects are distinguishable by their wings.
shows the identifying feature
distinguishable in
The signal remained distinguishable in the background noise.
in introduces the surrounding context
distinguishable on
The mark was distinguishable on the surface.
on refers to location, not a fixed adjective pattern
distinguishable as
The shape was distinguishable as a face.
as introduces an identified category

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using by instead of from for comparison

Use from when comparing two things.

✕ The replica is distinguishable by the original. ✓ The replica is distinguishable from the original.

Using from for identifying features

Use by to mention the feature used for recognition.

✕ The species are distinguishable from their colour. ✓ The species are distinguishable by their colour.

Treating on as a standard pattern

On usually introduces location only.

✕ The logo is distinguishable on others. ✓ The logo is distinguishable from others.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The twins are barely distinguishable ___ each other.
2. The fish are distinguishable ___ their fins.
3. The voice remained distinguishable ___ the crowd noise.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between distinguishable from and distinguishable by?

Distinguishable from compares two things. Distinguishable by names the feature that helps identify something.

Can I use distinguishable as?

Yes. It is used when identifying something as a category or type.

Is distinguishable on correct?

On can describe location, as in distinguishable on the screen, but it is not a fixed adjective-preposition pattern.

daily, for, daily, with, daily, in damaging to, for, of, in or as? damn about, near, for, to or as? "dangerous for" or "dangerous to"? "dark in", "dark for" or "dark of"? "daunting for" or "daunting to"? dead in, on, by, at or of? deadly to, in, for, of or with? "deaf to" or "deaf in"? dear to, in, for, of or as? deceased in, to, for, at or on? "decent in" or "decent for"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account