discerning
adjective
dis·cern·ing
di-ˈsər-niŋ 
: showing insight and understanding : discriminating
a discerning critic
gifts for (people with) discerning tastes.
Examples of discerning in a Sentence
Why should a discerning writer concern himself with such movies as Troy, Alexander, or 300? The answer is that he is uniquely qualified to transmute such trash into illuminating visions of the culturally confused age in which we live.
—
G. W. Bowersock, New York Review of Books, 6 Nov. 2008
Many of FreshDirect's customers say they are using the service because food shopping in Manhattan can be agonizing. But the question is whether discerning food shoppers will trust it.
—Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 6 Nov. 2002
Who reads short stories? one is asked, and I like to think that they are read by men and women in the dentist's office, waiting to be called to the chair; they are read on transcontinental plane trips … they are read by discerning and well-informed men and women who seem to feel that narrative fiction can contribute to our understanding of one another and the sometimes bewildering world around us.
—John Cheever, The Story and Its Writer, 1987
She has a discerning eye for good art.
a discerning critic of modern art
G. W. Bowersock, New York Review of Books, 6 Nov. 2008
Many of FreshDirect's customers say they are using the service because food shopping in Manhattan can be agonizing. But the question is whether discerning food shoppers will trust it.
—Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 6 Nov. 2002
Who reads short stories? one is asked, and I like to think that they are read by men and women in the dentist's office, waiting to be called to the chair; they are read on transcontinental plane trips … they are read by discerning and well-informed men and women who seem to feel that narrative fiction can contribute to our understanding of one another and the sometimes bewildering world around us.
—John Cheever, The Story and Its Writer, 1987
She has a discerning eye for good art.
a discerning critic of modern art
Recent Examples on the Web
Our Rei-Tan process elevates mycelium to a level that has won the hearts of some of the world’s most discerning designers.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2025
Because contemporary phantoms of Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, and Rolex are expertly constructed to entice even the most discerning eye, provenance is crucial.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Savvy Mercury also entered Virgo on Sept. 2, polishing our communication while inspiring a more discerning approach to our exchanges and immediate surroundings.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Audiences are more discerning than ever due to oversaturation.
—Jenna Guarneri, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discerning
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2025
Because contemporary phantoms of Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, and Rolex are expertly constructed to entice even the most discerning eye, provenance is crucial.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Savvy Mercury also entered Virgo on Sept. 2, polishing our communication while inspiring a more discerning approach to our exchanges and immediate surroundings.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Audiences are more discerning than ever due to oversaturation.
—Jenna Guarneri, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discerning
Cite this Entry
“Discerning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discerning. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
discerning
adjective
dis·cern·ing
: seeing and understanding clearly and intelligently
a discerning critic
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share