as in wise
having or showing deep understanding and intelligent application of knowledge
a discerning critic of modern art
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in noticing
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
barely able to discern the garden gate through the mist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in differentiating
to understand or point out the difference in
too young to discern between right and wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in understanding
to have a clear idea of
we're still trying to discern the meaning of that cryptic remark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of discerning
Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
More Magnificent Seven earnings are coming next week, helping to decide the direction of a stock market that's becoming more discerning, while the latest data on the labor market will cast light on the state of the economy.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
Jessica Binns, Sourcing Journal, 18 Mar. 2026
And, best of all, each of the four scratch different itches for discerning ice cream fans.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discerning
Adjective
The costs, the drama, the precision, all of it needs to be at an even higher expression than usual, and that’s precisely why the most discerning luxury brands are so keen to align themselves with Snow Polo—Robb Report was a media partner.
—Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
More Magnificent Seven earnings are coming next week, helping to decide the direction of a stock market that's becoming more discerning, while the latest data on the labor market will cast light on the state of the economy.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
Setto’s customers are discerning—often on the hunt for pure selvedge denim, the kind that emphasizes durability, visible craftsmanship, and tradition over newer stretch or comfort blends.
—Jessica Binns, Sourcing Journal, 18 Mar. 2026
And, best of all, each of the four scratch different itches for discerning ice cream fans.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discerning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discerning
Adjective
-
Straight men are just catching up, vanity-wise, and political opportunists have eagerly fed into their insecurities.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The obvious comparison would be Lily Allen’s West End Girl, another heartbreak concept album that captured the public imagination by aiming big, narrative-wise, stretching out the story song by song.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Writers Raoul Groothuizen and Christina Poppe came up with the idea back in 2018, after noticing a sharp rise in racist rhetoric among the Flemish far-right.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Scientists had long assumed most of the moon lay beyond the protection of Earth’s magnetic field, but in 2019 scientists began noticing something odd about the experiment’s data that suggested the moon was somewhat protected from galactic cosmic rays.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Anonymity will continue to be Reddit’s differentiating factor.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Or, at least, differentiating that the sandwiches Wawa and other convenience stores and delis in the area sell are in fact called hoagies.—
Kaitlyn McCormick,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Vera Rubin, an astronomer whose observations of galaxy rotation curves in the 1970s provided the first robust evidence for dark matter's existence, embraced her Jewish faith as a guide to understanding her role in the universe.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Preparation means understanding your client’s business, their operational needs, and their financial guardrails.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That move, which may have seemed prudent at the time, ended up killing off the TFG’s chances.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Local launch traffic will likely be heavy, so leaving yourself hours of flexibility is prudent.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The way out of this bind is going to require all of us to get better at spotting the output of AI, and to continue shaming those who get caught red keyboarded.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Police then lost sight of the vehicle before spotting it being driven west on Campbell Avenue, where the driver abruptly stopped in front of a bar, according to Allard.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The criterion of self-consciousness, meanwhile, is of no use for the practical task of distinguishing between human and nonhuman digital activity.—
Andrey Mir,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Per Alström, a researcher involved in the study, described the challenge of distinguishing the two species by conventional means.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Moderate exercise helps, but high-intensity overtraining can raise cortisol further, worth knowing if punishing workouts are already part of a stressed routine.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
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Ruca told Fox News Digital there were a few bittersweet feelings going into the match, just knowing what the two have been through together.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discerning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discerning. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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