as in spotting
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
the crew felt a rush of excitement upon hearing that the lookout had sighted land
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sighting
Organizers with the Vans Jack’s Surfboard Pro said the beach was closed for a mile in each direction following the shark sighting late afternoon on Thursday, April 23.
—
Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
Even slight pollution or habitat changes can threaten them — a detail that makes every confirmed sighting significant for conservation science.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
In addition to the occasional energy vortex, Sedona is said to be a UFO sighting hot spot.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2026
The equipment allowed the researchers to pinpoint the area emitting the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale's unique call without first sighting the animals, which are among the deepest-diving mammals in the world.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
Parks closed, troops deployed for bears In Sapporo City, authorities closed Maruyama Park for two weeks following a bear sighting there.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
His call to the Coast Guard upon sighting Humphrey resulted in a comical conversation.
—Helen Harlan, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2025
One of the six runways at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport was closed for about 45 minutes early Saturday afternoon after reports of a drone sighting around noon (1000 GMT), military police spokesman Doron Wallin told The Associated Press.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
Pasquatch sighting in Cleveland!
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
Even slight pollution or habitat changes can threaten them — a detail that makes every confirmed sighting significant for conservation science.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
In addition to the occasional energy vortex, Sedona is said to be a UFO sighting hot spot.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2026
The equipment allowed the researchers to pinpoint the area emitting the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale's unique call without first sighting the animals, which are among the deepest-diving mammals in the world.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
Parks closed, troops deployed for bears In Sapporo City, authorities closed Maruyama Park for two weeks following a bear sighting there.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
His call to the Coast Guard upon sighting Humphrey resulted in a comical conversation.
—Helen Harlan, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2025
One of the six runways at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport was closed for about 45 minutes early Saturday afternoon after reports of a drone sighting around noon (1000 GMT), military police spokesman Doron Wallin told The Associated Press.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
Pasquatch sighting in Cleveland!
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sighting
Verb
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Instead of just releasing Mythos, which proved in testing to be adept at spotting security holes, Anthropic initially made the model available to 11 organizations, including Club names CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks .—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
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But don’t bank on spotting them yourself…there’s a secret back room with its own private entrance for their many VIP clientele.—
Shay Spence,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Many are noticing the impact their reliance on technology has had on their relationships, and are craving real personal connections.—
Staff Author,
Parents,
7 June 2026
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The taboo is calling into question what a society instills in its people—all of its people—without their even noticing.—
Nina Mesfin,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Both teams are looking for a healthy seven-game series, but the Knicks seeing their best scorer heading off the court early isn't the way the Eastern Conference champions wanted to kick off their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1999 against these same Spurs.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
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What stayed with me most was seeing how much children respond to even the smallest acts of kindness.—
Brittany Talarico,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Though there are still many unknowns regarding the full effect of ayahuasca on the human experience, if my own is any indication, the mental and emotional gates this plant can open seem promising.—
Michaela Trimble,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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Outreach regarding the requirements and implications of the new law should begin immediately.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sighting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sighting. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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