Which function in Google Sheets ignores duplicates in a list and returns a single instance of each item?

The function in Google Sheets that effectively ignores duplicates and returns a single instance of each item is "unique." When you apply this function to a range of data that contains repeated values, it scans through the list and extracts only the different entries, presenting them in a new range or column. This is particularly useful for situations where you want to summarize data without having repeated entries, such as when collating survey responses or aggregating lists of participants.

The other functions mentioned serve different purposes in Google Sheets. For instance, "filter" is designed to return data that meets specified criteria, not specifically targeting duplicates. The term "distinct" is not an actual function within Google Sheets; while its usage may imply the intention to represent non-repeating values, it doesn’t exist in this context. Lastly, "removeDuplicates" is an operation that can be executed through the Data menu rather than a specific function for formulas. It actively deletes duplicate entries from a selection rather than displaying the unique values.