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
Minty Mellon, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026
Miller and Homan have not always appeared to be on the same page: Whereas Miller has pushed for maximizing the number of arrests and deportations, Homan’s statements have emphasized a more discerning approach focused on criminals.
—Nick Miroff, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Anthony Paletta, Curbed, 23 May 2026
And the band’s iconic red-and-white all-over aesthetic was striking to anyone with a discerning eye.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for discerning
Adjective
For the industry’s top stylists, the standard is even higher: a bag must withstand long days on set, countless flights, and still speak to a discerning point of view.
—Minty Mellon, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026
Miller and Homan have not always appeared to be on the same page: Whereas Miller has pushed for maximizing the number of arrests and deportations, Homan’s statements have emphasized a more discerning approach focused on criminals.
—Nick Miroff, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
There’s a certain scale at which the discerning buyer might hit a rut; things that are smaller than most pieces of furniture might require turning to the largest of shelves at the biggest box stores.
—Anthony Paletta, Curbed, 23 May 2026
And the band’s iconic red-and-white all-over aesthetic was striking to anyone with a discerning eye.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for discerning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discerning
Adjective
-
Lawmakers would be wiser to focus on AI legal matters pertaining to AI emotion detection consisting of transparency, disclosure requirements, informed consent, age restrictions, auditing, commercial exploitation, and the like.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
Poonawala raised his 12-month price target to $170 per share from $150 and said investors would be wise to buy the stock now.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
Verb
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According to the Irvine Police Department, Chen installed cameras in their family's home after noticing a change of flavor in his drink and feeling ill for weeks.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
-
After applying to more than 3,000 jobs and internships over his time in school, the 23-year-old began noticing employers were no longer asking only for traditional computer science skills.—
Lisa Chambers,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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In real life, Bright is differentiating herself with slightly longer hair.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
-
Cloud infrastructure, identity management and observability all began as differentiating features before becoming non-negotiable layers.—
David Lareau,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Wanting to move forward is natural, but part of being in a relationship with a parent is understanding that children set the timeline, not the adults’ feelings.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
The original Luddites are worth understanding correctly before invoking them.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
This may not be prudent with potential future budget shortfalls already estimated by the state.—
Jeff Kottkamp,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 June 2026
-
Bigger builders can buy land cheaper, handle volatility in materials costs (especially prudent during supply-chain disruptions like tariffs or an oil shock), and offer mortgage-rate buydowns that rivals can’t match.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Instead of just releasing Mythos, which proved in testing to be adept at spotting security holes, Anthropic initially made the model available to 11 organizations, including Club names CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks .—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
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But don’t bank on spotting them yourself…there’s a secret back room with its own private entrance for their many VIP clientele.—
Shay Spence,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
This isn’t to say any of these teams would have challenged eventual champion LSU; the point is that distinguishing between teams 10 and 20 for inclusion in a 16-team CFP is virtually impossible.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
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The first distinguishing feature is the nature of the problem being attacked.—
Ethan Stone,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Alsing noted that technical capabilities can be learned, emphasizing that a skill that compounds over a career is being comfortable with not knowing and figuring it out anyway.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
3 June 2026
-
Then there’s the psychological barrier of knowing your meals will be repetitive, or worse, if certain experiments prove practical, that your last … uh… output … could become your next input.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discerning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discerning. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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