1
as in notices
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 differentiates
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 understands
to have a clear idea of
we're still trying to discern the meaning of that cryptic remark
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of discerns
During a ChatGPT conversation, the AI discerns that the person is on the brink of doing something untoward.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discerns
Verb
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When someone gets up to go to the bathroom, everyone notices everything!—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
21 Feb. 2026
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At one point, the man, whom authorities describe as approximately 5 feet 9 to 5 feet 10 with an average build, notices the camera on the front porch and tries to cover the lens with his hand.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The startup differentiates itself from other AI entrants in the logistics space, such as HappyRobot, by focusing strictly on revenue generation.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
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Today’s Pathfinder and QX60 are both three-row SUVs that feature unibody construction that differentiates them from the three-row body-on-frame Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX80.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Veteran coach Michael Boehle, sipping coffee, understands the routine is only temporary and does his best to get his players focused on their early-morning routine.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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If Becket is willing to kill for control, Julia understands that control often comes from letting other people self-destruct.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Aïnouz sees this partnership as a win-win, as having stars attached to his films means more people will watch them.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
16 Feb. 2026
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India — the world’s most populous nation and one of the fastest-growing digital markets — sees the summit as an opportunity to project itself as a bridge between advanced economies and the Global South.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What distinguishes this generation is a willingness to blend registers.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
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What most distinguishes you from your opponent(s)?—
Delores Rangel,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Anyone who’s been left with one sock without a mate after all your laundry is apparently washed, dried, and folded knows the true irritation of this conundrum.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
20 Feb. 2026
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There's no signal on top of the tower, but the pair knows there's connection further down.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Subsequently, the filmmaker became enamored with airplanes and transferred that same fascination onto Lil Ant, who eyes the planes overhead with palpable yearning and, at one point, shoplifts a toy plane from a store.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
29 Jan. 2026
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Talarico’s numbers are notable and underscore the Senate Democratic primary will be hard-fought as the party eyes the chance to flip a Senate seat in the Lone Star State.—
Caroline Vakil,
The Hill,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Qualcomm’s chip can run Linux, along with Arduino software, and can even do computer vision, which deciphers what a camera sees and translates it into software.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
7 Oct. 2025
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With that base knowledge and his opponent’s game tape, Nolan analyzes wide receiver alignments and deciphers the offense's attack.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discerns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discerns. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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