as in finds
to come upon after searching, study, or effort
I can detect just a hint of lemon in the soup
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Recent Examples of detects
Its clever PositionIQ technology automatically detects its position and tunes the audio for the best possible sound.
—
Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
None of the heat anomalies, however, were indicative of damage – FIRMS also detects natural gas flares from the island’s oil facilities.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
These prevent cars from starting if the device detects a blood alcohol content above a certain limit.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
Network Rail, which owns and runs most of the UK’s railway infrastructure, stated that the system detects tiny changes in motion and rotation to continuously track movement.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
When Blub swims in a particular direction, the camera detects the movement and sends the vehicle rolling that same way.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 Mar. 2026
The device detects quick flashes in the atmosphere and is usually used to continuously map lightning strikes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Yet standard neurological imaging, such as MRI scans, almost never detects abnormalities, and most physicians, who understand the symptoms’ basis in only the most rudimentary sense, can offer little useful counsel.
—Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
If the vehicle detects that the driver is distracted or sleeping when the program is on, the vehicle will come to a complete stop and call emergency services.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
None of the heat anomalies, however, were indicative of damage – FIRMS also detects natural gas flares from the island’s oil facilities.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
These prevent cars from starting if the device detects a blood alcohol content above a certain limit.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
Network Rail, which owns and runs most of the UK’s railway infrastructure, stated that the system detects tiny changes in motion and rotation to continuously track movement.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
When Blub swims in a particular direction, the camera detects the movement and sends the vehicle rolling that same way.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 Mar. 2026
The device detects quick flashes in the atmosphere and is usually used to continuously map lightning strikes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
Yet standard neurological imaging, such as MRI scans, almost never detects abnormalities, and most physicians, who understand the symptoms’ basis in only the most rudimentary sense, can offer little useful counsel.
—Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
If the vehicle detects that the driver is distracted or sleeping when the program is on, the vehicle will come to a complete stop and call emergency services.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detects
Verb
-
Scroll for more fashion finds for as little as $6.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Rendered with a deep blue backdrop and whorls of soft spring colors, La femme finds Lopez staring peaceably into the middle distance, holding a bouquet of flowers.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the everyday cowboy problems get intertwined with something more menacing — possibly supernatural — when Abbott discovers an ominous black void on his property.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Apr. 2026
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The clubs, the dad soon discovers, are able to hit golf balls farther than anyone ever has.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The question of who owns what the system learns has been a sticking point in similar deals across the industry.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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By repeatedly exposing the policy to variations in weight and balance, the system learns how to maintain stability before deployment in the physical robot, reports Techeblog.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The technology locates a dysfunctional region where the electrical wave repeatedly hits.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
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When the user connects their smartphone, the app presents a 3D visualization on the phone screen that points out faults, locates problems, identifies the necessary tools to fix them, and provides step-by-step repair instructions.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detects. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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