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 of detect

• 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 Flock Safety website says the license plate-reading cameras don’t detect faces, people, gender or race and its audio-detecting equipment doesn’t record conversations, but Floridians like Hudson are concerned about their data being tracked. — Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026

Each satellite is equipped with multispectral imaging that can peer through smoke and clouds and detect fires as small as five by five meters—about 16 by 16 feet. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026

But officials detected and voided the questionable applications before Election Day, and no votes were cast as a result of them. — Josh Meyer, USA Today, 17 July 2026

At the time, state officials said that the fact that the fraudulent applications were detected shows that the system worked. — Justin Fishel, ABC News, 17 July 2026

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