discern

verb

di-ˈsərn How to pronounce discern (audio)
Definition of discernnext
1
as in to notice
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to differentiate
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 to understand
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

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 discern Even if consumers have difficulty discerning chemicals in flossing products, the environmental scientist encourages people not to stop flossing. — Margaret Hetherman The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026 As Sony's lineup of portable audio devices has evolved over the years, it's veered towards more discerning listeners. — New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026 Echo chambers, firehoses of information, discerning what’s real and what’s AI-generated, all accumulate to chip away at trust. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 Thomas Jefferson is believed to have loved these wines and today they are enjoyed by Italian nobility and discerning wine lovers the world over. — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for discern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discern
  1. notice
  2. differentiate
  3. understand
  4. see
  5. distinguish
  6. know
  7. spot
  8. decipher
Verb
  • The Politics to Art initiative was launched after Fishman noticed how many campaign signs were winding up in the trash after each election.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The brothers began studying the weather more precisely, noticing patterns in forecasts and how the weather actually plays out around us.
    — Daniel Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of notice
Verb
  • Those early studies were trying to find a way to differentiate menstrual from systemic blood samples.
    — Fiorella Valdesolo, Allure, 30 Oct. 2026
  • So women like Madonna and Grace Jones and Pat Benatar burst onto the scene with crops that differentiated them from the it girls of yore.
    — Molly Mulshine, InStyle, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of differentiate
Verb
  • After accepting the Up Against It role, Whitaker requested time with an oncologist for a briefing on Rose’s treatment to understand the real-life protocols around treating cancer.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2026
  • But for decades, scientists didn’t understand the neural underpinnings of cognitive exhaustion.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of understand
Verb
  • In a series of videos posted across social media, Basabe can be seen raising his voice, holding his cellphone in people’s faces and engaging in tense conversations while campaigning.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
  • And provided the House flips Democratic, Republicans could see a procession of impeachment trials for Cabinet members — and perhaps even the president.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of see
Verb
  • New materials, colors and finishes, including a California-specific fabric and color scheme, further distinguish the camper van's interior look and feel from the rest of the Volkswagen van lineup.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Auwaerter, who was not part of the study, said the data didn't distinguish consumption from external exposure — in other words, the hair could have picked up traces of weed simply by being buried together with it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of distinguish
Verb
  • Thames Valley officers in February arrested the former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, on suspicion of misconduct in public office based on information released in the Epstein Files.
    — Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Stockhausen, never known for the nuance of his public pronouncements, was nonetheless not wrong to identify Aphex Twin’s debt to an African-diasporic rhythmic tradition.
    — Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • This gives reliability engineers a standardized baseline to track asset health over time, enabling teams to spot early signs of wear and intervene before minor issues escalate into costly plant shutdowns, according to a press release.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • On October 24, the famous momager, 70, was spotted — literally — in Rome in one of her fiercest looks yet.
    — Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of spot
Verb
  • Bahdanau was working with artificial neural networks, which had already shown promise in pattern-recognition tasks such as deciphering handwriting and identifying objects in photos.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In addition to developing better medicines or perfumes, deciphering the mirror images of molecules can help scientists understand the chemical architecture of life, said chemist Holden Thorp, editor-in-chief of the journal Science.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of decipher

Browse Nearby Words

discarnate
discern
discerned
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Cite this Entry

“Discern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discern. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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