1
as in sensing
to have a vague awareness of
I thought I perceived a problem, but I wasn't sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in noticing
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
perceived that it was going to be a nice day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in knowing
to have a clear idea of
I perceive your point, but I still disagree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perceiving
Abraham Lincoln was wary of the doctrine, perceiving that any such notion of divine inevitability could be used to justify land grabs and war.
—
Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Kepler devoted much of his career to figuring out optics, and was arguably the first scientific thinker to articulate the difference between seeing and perceiving.
—Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The newly-sighted get better at perceiving differences in color, shape, and size — even if they were treated for their congenital cataracts after years of blindness—but not so much at spotting differences in shading or contours.
—Sachin Rawat, Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Reading, a way of perceiving ideas through the eyes of others, increases empathy and community, noted one professor.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2026
But that would depend on the animals perceiving the temperature shift—and having the capacity to do things differently.
—Elizabeth Preston, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
The model is better than predecessors at creating spreadsheets, building presentations, perceiving images, writing code and understanding long context, OpenAI said.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Shifting gears, rather than perceiving AI as a competitor, budding therapists would be wise to perceive AI as a collaborator.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In 2024, Nepal ranked 107th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, with 84% of people perceiving government corruption to be a major problem.
—Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Kepler devoted much of his career to figuring out optics, and was arguably the first scientific thinker to articulate the difference between seeing and perceiving.
—Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The newly-sighted get better at perceiving differences in color, shape, and size — even if they were treated for their congenital cataracts after years of blindness—but not so much at spotting differences in shading or contours.
—Sachin Rawat, Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Reading, a way of perceiving ideas through the eyes of others, increases empathy and community, noted one professor.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2026
But that would depend on the animals perceiving the temperature shift—and having the capacity to do things differently.
—Elizabeth Preston, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
The model is better than predecessors at creating spreadsheets, building presentations, perceiving images, writing code and understanding long context, OpenAI said.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Shifting gears, rather than perceiving AI as a competitor, budding therapists would be wise to perceive AI as a collaborator.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In 2024, Nepal ranked 107th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, with 84% of people perceiving government corruption to be a major problem.
—Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perceiving
Verb
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Native color sensing changes how machines perceive their surroundings by combining geometric structure with visual context.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
-
Last week, likely sensing which way the legal wind is blowing, Paramount Skydance’s chief legal officer Makan Delrahim wrote to Bonta to preemptively plead the company’s case.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
Verb
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In practice, this means noticing the moment that your brain begins replaying an embarrassing scene and deliberately refusing to elaborate on it further.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
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How the Slurpee became an American staple The Slurpee traces its roots back to the 1960s, when businessman Omar Knedlik developed a machine that partially froze soft drinks after noticing customers enjoyed semi-frozen sodas at his Dairy Queen franchise in Kansas.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Still, the answer to treating PMOS isn’t just patients knowing what to look for and what to do, experts say.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
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The two have since built an unspoken connection, each knowing when the other is feeling especially bogged down by the conflict.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Hiba imagined seeing snow for the first time and living in a cold state, such as Ohio.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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His absence led to Ben Hutton and Dylan Coghlan seeing elevated minutes, and both handled them well.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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As fans get more sophisticated about visual effects, and AI clips proliferate online, spotting VFX errors have become a bit of a online pastime (and, sometimes, a fake VFX shot turns out to be real after all).—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
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Buoyed by the technology boom, major indices like the Nasdaq Composite , the Russell 2000 and the S & P 500 have all risen sharply over the past month, but analysts are spotting fragility underneath the top lines.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Maybe a computer was a new tool for understanding poetry.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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The week-long experience focuses on strength training to increase muscle mass; the importance of nutrition (especially protein); and understanding the long-term effects and impacts of weight loss medications.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Verb
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My long, cold period of feeling relegated as a writer was over.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
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For many families, barriers to care stem not only from transportation or cost, but from feeling misunderstood, unseen, or unable to communicate comfortably with providers.—
Maria Bledsoe,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The head of a fish, cooked and glossy gray, emerges from a latticed crust, regarding the ceiling with an unnerving, dull-eyed serenity.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
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Now, if Edwards were to create a narrative regarding relocation, that would be a different story.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perceiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perceiving. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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