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
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 discerns
However, her personable commanding officer Majid (Shafi al-Harthi) sees the value in her perspective when a high school student’s body turns up in the desert, and Nawal discerns clues from details which the policemen overlook, from the girl’s manicure to the embroidery on her abaya.
—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
8 June 2026
Neem discerns within all of this a strange convergence, as both the far right and the far left have come to agree that the history of the United States has been defined by whiteness.
—
Yoni Appelbaum,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
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
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
8 June 2026
Neem discerns within all of this a strange convergence, as both the far right and the far left have come to agree that the history of the United States has been defined by whiteness.
—
Yoni Appelbaum,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discerns
Verb
-
Making the room feel too formal Brooke Sabia of Phase 4 Design Group always notices when a living room skews more formal in order to differentiate it from the family room or other more casual areas of the home.
-
And the Tarrant County restaurant scene notices that.
Verb
-
In the accessible luxury bridal segment, Olivia Bottega differentiates itself through made-to-order production, customization, convertible designs, and a growing wholesale network that allows brides to experience the collection both online and in bridal salons.
-
This is what differentiates it from the Ferraris, the Astons, and so forth.
Verb
-
Pochettino is not a man who understands why anybody would want to wait.
-
The company has 23 quantum systems installed at research institutes, enterprises, and high-performance computing centers and understands the need and urgency for fault-tolerant quantum computers.
Verb
-
As Droga sees it, the advertising industry is very much in the throes of a profound technological shift.
-
On average, the region sees its first 100-degree day on July 1.
Verb
-
That’s what distinguishes durable goods from nondurable goods like food, fuel, and other everyday necessities.
-
In this precarious context, what distinguishes the Borgo Dialogues is not the setting or the speakers, but the formation of a community of practice.
Verb
-
Uruguay knows avoiding defeat will be enough to progress as either the runner-up or one of the lucky third-place finishers.
-
Both Sydney’s and Carmy’s reactions are subdued — neither knows how to process it.
Verb
-
In the Africa section, the zoo eyes a revamp of the hippo and crocodile habitats and at least one additional exhibit.
-
The New York Knicks took a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday as the franchise eyes its first NBA Finals berth since 1999.
Verb
-
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.
-
With that base knowledge and his opponent’s game tape, Nolan analyzes wide receiver alignments and deciphers the offense's attack.
Cite this Entry
“Discerns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discerns. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
