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
  • This dual demand profile differentiates silver from gold, creating different price dynamics.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Those figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
    Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Tarr's reputation for films tinged with misery and hard-heartedness, distinguished by black-and-white cinematography and unusually long sequences, only grew throughout the 1990s and 2000s, particularly after his 1994 film Sátántangó.
    Alina Edwards, NPR, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Hofman's photos of the Ross seal — often distinguished by its broad, dark stripes on its body and neck, as well as its large eyes — show the seal facing the camera directly, with its flippers and tail trailing behind it.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 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 12 Jan. 2026.

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