discernible

adjective

dis·​cern·​ible di-ˈsər-nə-bəl 

-ˈzər-

variants or less commonly discernable

: able to be perceived by a sense (such as sight or smell) or by the mind : capable of being discerned

a discernible difference

It is thought that the genes that normally produce a white underbelly in the gray squirrel are active in a wider area of their bodies, often leaving discernible gray patches on the spine and head.

—C. Claiborne Ray

Downpours are a near-daily occurrence throughout the year, and there are few discernible changes of season. Sunlight, warmth, and moisture are constants.

—Scott Wallace

discernibly

di-ˈsər-nə-blē 

-ˈzər-

adverb

or less commonly discernably

a discernibly better product

two materials that are not discernibly different

When a recipe says to brown the meat, it is calling for a deep brown sear and a discernibly thick crust on all sides …

—Cook's Illustrated

Synonyms

• distinguishable
• perceptible
• noticeable

Examples of discernible in a Sentence

discernible differences in the two authors' writing styles

Recent Examples on the Web

Showrunner and co-creator Allan Heinberg prioritizes recreating what’s already on the page while stitching those pages together to form a discernible plot. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 3 July 2025

Notably, the parking sensors cue up camera views far too easily, with no discernible way to click out of the screen to return to Apple CarPlay or navigation until the car simply decides things are safe again. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

Birth after death For centuries, Catholic dogma and Western legal precedent have mandated immediate cesarean section when a pregnant woman died after quickening, the point when fetal movement becomes discernible. —Lindsey Breitwieser, The Conversation, 1 July 2025

Dennis Weaver is the mild-mannered commuter stuck behind the wheel of a car that’s being terrorized by a mysterious tractor trailer for no discernible reason. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

discernible borrowed from Late Latin discernibilis, from Latin discernere "to separate, divide off, distinguish, discern" + -ibilis -ible; discernable from discern + -able, after Late Latin discernibilis

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for discernible

• discernable
• returnable
• indiscernible