Words / C1

ind-i-STINGW-ish-uh-bl/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbl/

Indistinguishable means so similar that you cannot tell things apart (indistinguishable from): indistinguishable copies, results indistinguishable from chance. Identical is stronger; a reprint of last year’s n is not a new paper.

Meaning

Impossible to tell apart from something else (indistinguishable from).

Examples

• “A summary slide is not indistinguishable from the clause; cite the annex.”
• “A reprint indistinguishable from last year’s n is not a new paper.”
• “Identical is stronger. Interchangeable is the parts twin. A reprint is a copy. A new count is methods. Cite the old figure, or collect a new n; do not relabel the duplicate.”

Good to know

Unable to be told apart. Stronger: identical. A reprint ≠ a new n.

Near in meaning

identical, interchangeable

New