Definition of secernnext
as in to differentiate
to understand or point out the difference in those philistines who seemingly cannot secern artistic depiction of the nude from blatant pornography

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for secern
Verb
  • That’s what differentiates us from the commodity news and information that’s out there.
    Jennifer Maas, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The case now revolves around the language restaurants use to differentiate between tips and service charges.
    Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • He is nonetheless favored to win the Republican primary over the four-term senator John Cornyn, who has distinguished himself chiefly by serving four terms.
    Tad Friend, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Bridges fall when engineers can’t distinguish varieties of physical strength; what’s lost if people can’t distinguish varieties of character strength?
    Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Secern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secern. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.

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