discriminating

/dəˌskrɪməˈneɪdɪŋ/

/dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪtɪŋ/

Someone discriminating has fine-grained judgment and can tell, for example, the difference between pretty good cookies and incredibly great cookies — a valuable skill.

There are many areas of life where being discriminating can help you. A discriminating TV watcher will only watch the best shows, while someone undiscriminating will watch anything that's on. When eating, being discriminating is especially useful: why eat food that's badly prepared or unhealthy if you don't have to? A discriminating person can pick up on the small differences between things and use those differences to make better choices. We should all try to be more discriminating.

Definitions of discriminating

1. adjective

   showing or indicating careful judgment and discernment especially in matters of taste
   “the discriminating eye of the connoisseur”

   synonyms: discriminant

   discerning

   having or revealing keen insight and good judgment

   discriminate

   marked by the ability to see or make fine distinctions

   appreciative

   having or showing appreciation or a favorable critical judgment or opinion

   diacritic, diacritical

   capable of distinguishing

   discerning

   able to make or detect effects of great subtlety; sensitive

   discriminative, discriminatory

   capable of making fine distinctions

   eclectic

   selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas

   good

   generally admired

   selective

   tending to select; characterized by careful choice

   antonyms:

   undiscriminating

   not discriminating

   indiscriminate

   not marked by fine distinctions

   indiscriminate

   failing to make or recognize distinctions

   scattershot

   covering a wide range in a haphazard way

   unperceptive

   lacking sensitivity, taste, or judgment

   unselective

   not selective or discriminating
2. adjective

   having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
   synonyms: acute, incisive, keen, knifelike, penetrating, penetrative, piercing, sharp

   perceptive

   having the ability to perceive or understand; keen in discernment