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
Marisa Meltzer visits with Jean-Claude and Anne-Marie Colban, the siblings who run the business and dress its discerning clientele.
—
Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 24 Mar. 2026
In reality, there is something there for the novice wine lover as well as the most experienced and discerning collector.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2026
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
The stance of the British Museum is hard to discern.
—James Romm, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discern
Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 24 Mar. 2026
In reality, there is something there for the novice wine lover as well as the most experienced and discerning collector.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2026
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
The stance of the British Museum is hard to discern.
—James Romm, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discern
Verb
-
Even her 8-year-old daughter has noticed the impact on the family's spending.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Increasingly, human resources departments noticed that applicants used the résumé to tell white lies, and even bigger fibs, listing fictitious degrees, fake promotions and other embellishments.—
Stephen Mihm,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As cannabis brands look for ways to differentiate products beyond potency, cannabinoids associated with specific functional benefits, such as sleep, focus and metabolic health, are moving into the spotlight.—
Thomas Andersen,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In an email to the sponsor group, officials noted that their tax reports do not differentiate between hotels and short-term rentals.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
New transparency tools aim to help travelers understand disruptions and reduce frustration during delays and cancellations.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
And to have a guy like him who understands what the competition looks like on the floor, but is still here to kind of enhance the environment, help celebrate his teammates, give his teammates wisdom.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Malikah Auguste, a ninth-grader at Cristo Rey and an intern with Miami Lighthouse, saw the impact the visit had on her classmates.—
Christina Mayo,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Whizzing by the moon up to 6,000 miles above the surface, the astronauts will also glimpse the celestial body's full disk, seeing sights that not even the Apollo astronauts witnessed.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Published in 2021 by a team of scholars in such fields as Jewish studies and Holocaust history, it was created to help distinguish hatred of Jews from criticism of Israel.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Cook also said Idaho State Police does not have a test that is able to distinguish between synthetic and natural-leaf kratom.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The judge assigned to Amin’s case was Iman Afshari, known in Tehran for his tough sentences—a reputation that led the European Union to place him on a blacklist, in January, for human-rights abuses.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
But Bella knows academic success isn't enough on its own.—
Robbie Owens,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Here's where hummingbirds have been spotted so far this year and how to attract them to your garden.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In what’s become typical Knicks fashion, the team wearing orange and blue spotted the Rockets a 12-1 lead to start the game — 10 coming from Kevin Durant, who finished with 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Players will have to decipher a puzzle with clues from another player.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The clicks are part of a growing sperm whale phonetic alphabet that researchers at CETI are deciphering.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discern. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
