detect

verb

de·tect | \ di-ˈtekt

, dē-\

detected; detecting; detects

Definition of detect

1 : to discover the true character of detecting drug smugglers

2 : to discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of detect alcohol in the blood Do I detect a note of sarcasm in your voice?

3 : demodulate

intransitive verb

: to work as a detective

Other Words from detect Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about detect

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Other Words from detect

detectability \ di-ˌtek-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

, dē- \ noun

detectable \ di-ˈtek-tə-bəl

, dē- \ adjective

Examples of detect in a Sentence

The test is used to detect the presence of alcohol in the blood. This type of cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages.

Recent Examples on the Web

Kaspersky said that the ShadowHammer attack had been detected worldwide, most commonly in Russia and Germany, with about five percent of victims in the United States. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Update: Asus issues fix for ShadowHammer attack, and a tool to detect if your PC was affected," 26 Mar. 2019 But the prognosis typically depends on when the cancer is detected. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Why Is the 5-Year Survival Rate for Ovarian Cancer So Low?," 21 Nov. 2018 Over the course of the next 16 months, 11 IceCube-AMON neutrino alerts were distributed via AMON and the Gamma-ray Coordinates Network, just minutes or seconds after being detected at the South Pole. — Smithsonian, "Scientists Explain The Thrill of Detecting a Neutrino From a Far-Off Galaxy," 12 July 2018 Signs of trouble are detected among Jarecki’s own employees. — Gary Thompson, Philly.com, "'The King' goes on the road looking for Elvis and America, and hits a dead-end," 11 July 2018 Politi said the most common way for sharks to be detected along the Cape is by spotters in planes who radio the sightings to the various harbor masters, who then relay the news to on-duty lifeguards and beach patrol personnel. — Sophia Eppolito And Marek Mazurek, BostonGlobe.com, "On the Cape, tourists and locals take sharks in stride," 9 July 2018 The newest watch can detect hard falls and alert emergency contacts. — Dan Gallagher, WSJ, "It Is Prime Time for Smartwatches," 6 Mar. 2019 The soundbar can even detect and amplify footsteps and other in-game sounds if someone’s trying to creep up on you in Fortnite, Overwatch, or any other game. — Ian Paul, PCWorld, "Eyes-on: Nvidia's massive 65-inch BFGD gaming monitors get real with HP's Omen X Emperium," 8 Jan. 2019 Your cleaning sponges and rags For starters, a Scientific Reports study published in 2017 detected 362 types of bacteria in a sample of 14 different kitchen sponges. — Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, "These Are the Dirtiest Things in Your Home (Which You Should Clean Immediately)," 21 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'detect.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.