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
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Recent Examples of discern
Many of these models are trained on stupendously large datasets comprising material culled from online sources, from which broader statistical patterns can be extracted and discerned.
—
Patrick R. Crowley, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Perhaps its incorporation of vogue ideas dazzles critics who might otherwise discern its awfulness (Amazon’s Transparent).
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
The rooms The elegant and spacious guest rooms and suites, starting at a generous 56 square meters, blend comfort and luxury for discerning global travelers.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
The world’s most discerning audience for classical dance bent the knee to a phenomenon named Mikhail Baryshnikov.
—Air Mail, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discern
Patrick R. Crowley, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Perhaps its incorporation of vogue ideas dazzles critics who might otherwise discern its awfulness (Amazon’s Transparent).
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
The rooms The elegant and spacious guest rooms and suites, starting at a generous 56 square meters, blend comfort and luxury for discerning global travelers.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
The world’s most discerning audience for classical dance bent the knee to a phenomenon named Mikhail Baryshnikov.
—Air Mail, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discern
Verb
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Consider what success actually looks like in your daily life, and notice which efforts deserve your attention.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Those who noticed the earthquake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And while humans can often discern animal distress calls or differentiate dog barks, many animal noises may seem inconsequential to the untrained human ear.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
19 Mar. 2026
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By differentiating customers based on value and risk, the platform helps brands reward their best customers while protecting margins from fraud and abuse without manual intervention.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Heidner also had problems understanding how state government functions.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
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Additionally, Fitbit will soon let those on the Public Preview software share their medical records to better understand their overall health.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Peru has seen eight presidents in the past decade, with several heads of state removed by Congress after corruption accusations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
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But execs — some of whom will meet with Vice President JD Vance today — with a slightly longer perspective look at this moment and see mainly chaos, not profit.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pelé Soccer might assert its use of the photograph in apparel products reflects the company’s design creativity and adds new meaning that distinguishes it from the original work.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
16 Mar. 2026
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While facelift surgeons quibble over semantics and what truly distinguishes one method from another, ultimately, all modern facelifts adjust the SMAS (muscle layer) in some way.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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He’s known as someone who could raise the tide of an entire defense based on his football IQ and his propensity for getting his teammates properly aligned.—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
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And as importantly, nobody knows how the political reality will push the actual oil supply.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Roughly 400 vessels were spotted operating in the Gulf of Oman, as a massive backlog of ships waited near the chokepoint, according to a report from maritime intelligence firm Windward on Sunday.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
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Johnson was spotted in a protective boot on Wednesday.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Before diners are even seated, a quirky focal point is bound to elicit oohs and aahs, and many, many wandering eyes trying to decipher the meaning.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
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Binary neutron stars have long been considered the best bet for deciphering what lurks within.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discern. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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