detect

verb

de·​tect di-ˈtekt 

dē-

detected; detecting; detects

transitive verb

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

detectability

di-ˌtek-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

dē-

noun

detectable

di-ˈtek-tə-bəl 

dē-

adjective

Synonyms

• find
• learn
• locate
• discover
• get

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 event was detected close to The Geysers, two days ago. —Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Sep. 2025

This unpredictability makes their destructive behavior harder to detect. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

That means malicious software is getting smarter, faster and harder to detect. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025

Physicists revealed that the HRNS spectrometer will be installed behind a thick concrete protective wall surrounding the fusion chamber, near an opening several centimetres in diameter, to be able to detect neutrons produced in the very center of the plasma. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin detectus, past participle of detegere to uncover, detect, from de- + tegere to cover — more at thatch

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for detect

• affect
• aspect
• bedecked
• bisect
• collect
• connect
• correct
• deflect
• direct
• dissect
• effect
• eject

Kids Definition

detect

verb

de·​tect di-ˈtekt 

: to discover the nature, existence, presence, or fact of

detect the approach of an airplane

detectable

-ˈtek-tə-bəl 

adjective

detection

-ˈtek-shən

noun