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
Cesium-137 is a radioactive byproduct of nuclear fission and, while not detected in the current Aquastar shrimp lots, exposure to the substance over time can increase cancer risk and cause cellular damage.
—
Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
The work even involved tunneling out a basement below the medieval foundations for HVAC and storage, with monitors on every wall to detect shifts in the stones during excavations.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 18 Oct. 2025
By playing through likely as well as merely plausible scenarios and modeling their impact on supply chains, companies can detect critical dependencies and explore ways to diversify supplier relationships or sales markets.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
For context, the human eye is capable of detecting night sky objects with a magnitude lower than +6 under ideal conditions.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detect
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Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
The work even involved tunneling out a basement below the medieval foundations for HVAC and storage, with monitors on every wall to detect shifts in the stones during excavations.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 18 Oct. 2025
By playing through likely as well as merely plausible scenarios and modeling their impact on supply chains, companies can detect critical dependencies and explore ways to diversify supplier relationships or sales markets.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
For context, the human eye is capable of detecting night sky objects with a magnitude lower than +6 under ideal conditions.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 Oct. 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 19 Oct. 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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