as in sensor
a device that detects some physical quantity and responds usually with a transmitted signal a motion detector to thwart burglaries

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of detector Like a super-weapon developed by a stereotypical supervillain, this new dark matter detector is hidden over a mile deep beneath the French Alps. Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2025 To bypass it, the Genius approached the sensor with a homemade polyester shield and placed it right in front of the detector to prevent it from picking up on the team’s body heat. Yasmeen Hamadeh, People.com, 10 Aug. 2025 The trigger system tells the detector to disregard the data that is not of interest, while saving the data of interest. IEEE Spectrum, 10 Aug. 2025 The particles reflect light onto the detector that measures the light pulse, and the longer the pulse, the larger the size of the particulate matter. Lisa Wood Shapiro, Wired News, 9 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for detector
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detector
sensor
Noun
  • Before satellite measurements, researchers relied on estimates and data from a smattering of air and ground-based sensors.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The prototype is built using commercially available parts, including micro-LED lights, optical lenses, and sensors from smartphone cameras, keeping costs down and making future mass production feasible.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Detector.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detector. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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