Synonyms of spotting

spotting 1 of 2

noun

as in discovery

the act or process of sighting or learning the existence of something for the first time

the spotting of a new bird is always a thrill for an avid bird-watcher

Synonyms & Similar Words

• discovery
• finding
• detection
• exploration
• awareness
• unearthing
• disclosure
• revelation
• invention
• exposure
• creation
• notice
• uncovering
• espial
• unveiling
• rediscovery

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loss
• disappearance
• hiding
• concealment

spotting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of spot

1

as in sprinkling

to mark with small spots especially unevenly

to give the effect of sunlight on water, the artist spotted the lake in his painting with flecks of gold paint

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sprinkling
• dotting
• staining
• peppering
• dyeing
• flecking
• blotching
• dappling
• mottling
• shooting
• stippling
• speckling
• specking
• splotching
• freckling
• striping
• marbling
• streaking
• blotting
• interspersing
• barring
• banding
• spattering
• studding
• setting
• bespattering

2

as in noticing

to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes

I spotted both of them as they tried to sneak out the back door

Synonyms & Similar Words

• noticing
• seeing
• eyeing
• regarding
• viewing
• sighting
• observing
• watching
• remarking
• catching
• spying
• noting
• looking (at)
• distinguishing
• witnessing
• perceiving
• discerning
• beholding
• identifying
• espying
• descrying
• scanning
• getting a load of
• considering
• marking
• setting eyes on
• laying eyes on
• studying
• surveying
• inspecting
• examining
• picking out
• scrutinizing
• attending (to)
• heeding
• making out
• glimpsing
• glancing (at)
• peering (at)
• picking up
• minding

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignoring
• disregarding
• neglecting
• missing
• passing over
• overlooking
• overpassing

3

as in spraying

to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on

the TV networks had spotted reporters all over the state for the election

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spraying
• sprinkling
• dotting
• peppering
• scattering
• strewing
• dusting
• sowing
• bestrewing
• drizzling
• dappling
• speckling
• flecking
• studding
• blanketing
• stippling
• spattering
• bespattering

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of spotting

Noun

Student trustee and West Campus High senior Owen Naqica spoke to the distress that Tuesday’s ICE spotting near a school caused his fellow students. — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Take out the property’s resident boat Bella from the Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club for a view of the Port Royal mega-mansions and a chance at dolphin spotting. — Harriet Elton, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026

The hoofed Highlanders have been embraced as an unofficial mascot on campus, with Reddit threads dedicated to donkey spotting and burro plushies for sale in the campus store. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Wilted or leathery leaves are signs of low humidity, while yellow spots on the leaves indicate fungal spotting from too much humidity. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2026

Camping, hiking, wildlife spotting, fishing, birding, and kayaking. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026

This time, however, the spotting has occurred at the same time that China’s new Type 076 amphibious assault ship entered its final sea trials. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026

Kesha’s raccoon spotting comes shortly after a wild raccoon with a spine deformity, nicknamed Jimothy, recently went viral after a Seattle resident’s video gained over 5 million views online. — Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026

Set along the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the city features a walkable historic downtown, scenic Harborwalk, quaint cafés and restaurants, and easy access to kayaking, boating, fishing, and wildlife spotting. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026

Verb

The half-mile Scrub Jay Loop is a prime place for spotting the state’s only endemic bird, which is threatened by habitat loss. — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026

Styles has been spotting walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan on show days, popping into coffee shops, and chatting with fans on the street. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026

Other possible uses include detecting weak magnetic signals from the heart and muscles, improving navigation, and spotting underground magnetic anomalies. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026

For more help spotting suspicious sellers, see our guide on how to tell whether an online store is real or a scam. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

At Mount Battie, visitors can hike to the summit or drive the seasonal auto road, on clear days, even spotting Cadillac Mountain in Acadia. — Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2026

These models can analyze millions of lines of code in seconds, spotting subtle memory management bugs that human auditors might miss over decades of software development. — Doug Jacobson, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026

Numerous women on TikTok also report spotting photos of men on dating apps that appear to be AI-generated. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Some of these hunters spend hours in hopes of spotting a miniature ceramic smiley face peeking out of a crevice. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026