as in wise
having or showing deep understanding and intelligent application of knowledge
a discerning critic of modern art
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in noticing
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in differentiating
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 understanding
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 discerning
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Audiences are more discerning than ever due to oversaturation.
—Jenna Guarneri, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Wayne Chan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
Schumacher Italy’s managing director Elisabetta Bono told WWD that creating relationships with interior designers and decorators is key to the brand’s success in a discerning design community like Milan.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discerning
Adjective
Savvy Mercury also entered Virgo on Sept. 2, polishing our communication while inspiring a more discerning approach to our exchanges and immediate surroundings.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Audiences are more discerning than ever due to oversaturation.
—Jenna Guarneri, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
But the real challenge was discerning which parts of each course were meant to be eaten and which were just part of the presentation.
—Wayne Chan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
Schumacher Italy’s managing director Elisabetta Bono told WWD that creating relationships with interior designers and decorators is key to the brand’s success in a discerning design community like Milan.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discerning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discerning
Adjective
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With them, outrage becomes fuel for sustained, wise action.—
Marc Brackett,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
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Hubert will play a wise woman who meets Hilary (Coco Jones) and becomes instrumental to the Banks family.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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What researchers actually discovered is a small asteroid following Earth’s orbit, one that’s been traveling alongside us for decades without anyone noticing.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Oct. 2025
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But the smart ones were noticing.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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He was credited with elevating the revenues, profits and image of Macy’s West, successfully differentiating it from regional department store competitors, and evolving Macy’s private labels into private brands, with in-store shops, professional sales associates and full-price marketing.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
20 Oct. 2025
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Others echoed that sentiment while differentiating human creativity from automation.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The emerging discipline of geomythology is coming into its own, as scientists, historians, and other scholars see the rich potential for understanding how humans have made sense of their observations of nature over time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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Experts say there are biological and seasonal reasons behind the fall-time sleep disruption, and understanding them can help teens get better rest.—
Kris Ann Valdez,
Parents,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This aligns with research showing that rural social identity predicts skepticism of external experts, illustrating a rural orientation toward prudent distrust.—
Scott R. Schell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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That said, Gordon believes the sale announced by Tucker, who was promoted from Jack in the Box chief financial officer to CEO on March 31, is a prudent one.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Between the timing and Elsbeth spotting a shiny, brand-new replacement for Johnny’s beat-up old harness and carabiner, the jig is up, giving Elsbeth a moment to shine on the set of Raquel’s Behind the Black Veil interview, prosecuting her case in the persona of a reality-show host.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
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The robot is also capable of spotting the charging spot perfectly in electric vehicles.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As America’s capital of both wine production and pleasant weather, California has any number of towns that capture this experience, each with distinguishing characteristics that suit different types of travelers.—
Justin Goldman,
AFAR Media,
24 Oct. 2025
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But in a market where definitional confusion obscures risk and competitive tensions drive narratives, distinguishing signal from noise is increasingly critical and difficult.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At last weekend’s general assembly of Barcelona club members, Laporta tried to thread a delicate path when defending the plan to play a domestic game over 4,500 miles away, knowing that Tebas is not exactly popular with his team’s supporters.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Her mother, a pediatric critical care nurse, was working her shift at Hennepin County Medical Center, where several of the wounded were taken, before even knowing her children’s school was involved.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discerning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discerning. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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