detected; detecting; detects
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
: to work as a detective
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
The contract also calls for the the installation of a new acoustic monitoring system to detect wire breaks.
—
Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
The goal he was given, of detecting a single pathway by itself, didn’t actually make sense.
—Matt Von Hippel, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2025
Such attacks are hard to detect and often slip through defenses.
—Alexander Krizhanovsky, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Related article Largest celestial object of its kind detected in the distant universe
The new images represent just over 10 hours of test observations, offering a brief preview of the observatory’s decade-long mission to explore the mysteries of the universe like never before.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for detect
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Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
The goal he was given, of detecting a single pathway by itself, didn’t actually make sense.
—Matt Von Hippel, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2025
Such attacks are hard to detect and often slip through defenses.
—Alexander Krizhanovsky, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Related article Largest celestial object of its kind detected in the distant universe
The new images represent just over 10 hours of test observations, offering a brief preview of the observatory’s decade-long mission to explore the mysteries of the universe like never before.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for detect
Cite this Entry
“Detect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detect. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
detect
verb
de·tect
di-ˈtekt 
: to discover the nature, existence, presence, or fact of
detect the approach of an airplane
detection
noun
-ˈtek-shən
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