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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of discerning
Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Here’s one auction that the more discerning Raging Bull collectors out there will want to keep an eye on.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2025
Sarah Min, CNBC, 2 Jan. 2026
Open discussions suit your practical, discerning style.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discerning
Adjective
One Battle After Another holds the top ranking of any 2025 release on review aggregator Metacritic, the more discerning version of Rotten Tomatoes, and its detractors are few.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Here’s one auction that the more discerning Raging Bull collectors out there will want to keep an eye on.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Huang will have to strike a confident tone for investors who will be more discerning in 2026 and focusing closely on underlying fundamentals to pick their positions.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 2 Jan. 2026
Open discussions suit your practical, discerning style.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discerning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discerning
Adjective
-
Or similarly, users pointing out that the Ratliff children, when seated three abreast, resemble the three wise monkeys of see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Up in the balcony, even Statler and Waldorf have stopped cracking wise.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Or noticing that your hands feel inexplicably stiff and swollen, making simple tasks like opening a jar or even typing feel unusually difficult.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The second witness went inside for safety, then re-emerged, noticing the brothers were fighting, court records state.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Lilium Jet Lilium focuses on regional air mobility rather than short-hop urban routes, differentiating itself from most air taxi competitors.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Either way, each realizes the route to victory means differentiating herself from the other.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The key to making the right decision is understanding all your options beforehand.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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His perspective positions the next wave of transformation not around deeper analysis, but around autonomous action, systems capable of understanding situations, deciding optimal responses, and executing those responses in real time.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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For this precancerous, very early-stage breast condition, careful monitoring may be more prudent than immediate surgery, research shows.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
5 Jan. 2026
-
That’s the most prudent path here.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Having designed dozens of homes and studied many more, interior designers become accustomed to spotting some of the same home accessories over and over again.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
11 Jan. 2026
-
There’s great wildlife spotting.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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To that point, Lee stressed the importance of city names preceding a team name as a distinguishing factor.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Presidents learn quickly the wisdom of distinguishing between an authoritarian regime and the people who suffer under its rule.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The couple, who did not grow up knowing one another because of estrangements in their families, faced criticism from both sets of parents for the union.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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Another resident, Carolyn Reeves, said not knowing if the annexation would bring in commercial or residential development raises suspicion.—
Elizabeth Campbell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discerning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discerning. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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