What words mean the same as discriminate?

Answer 1

"Discrimination" is sometimes used to describe the unfair treatment of someone based on their race, or colour, or sex, or social standing. In this sense, words like "prejudice" and "bigotry" convey a similar meaning.

But "discrimination" also means "good judgement"; in this sense "astuteness" might be a good synonym.

You may wonder how the word came to have such different meanings. Its original meaning was the ability to discriminate or tell the difference between things. Thus on the one hand it means being able to notice important differences (the difference between well-made and shoddily made goods, for example) and also unimportant ones (superficial differences in appearance between people).