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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spotting
Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Kissing Bugs Kissing bugs are small, dark, wingless insects with reddish spotting.
—Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 2 Sep. 2025
Enjoy a Florida-style expedition at the 1,322-acre Micro Scrub Sanctuary, a natural scrubby flatwoods and mesic flatwoods habitat that includes miles of trails for hiking, biking, and wildlife spotting.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2025
The Florian also is a great spot for plane spotting.
—Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 28 Aug. 2025
To accomplish this, Barton turned to the fundamental dance technique of spotting, where the dancer finds a focal point in front of them and whips their head around to hold that focus spot and keep themself centered.
—Oliver Sava, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2025
The spotting comes a week after Dominic McLaughlin, who is playing Harry Potter, was photographed on set.
—Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Since Moscow’s 2022 invasion, both sides have fielded drones for surveillance, artillery spotting, and increasingly lethal kamikaze strikes.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2025
Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
However, critics see it as rooting for the underdog running amok, spotting an academic Marxist concept used to limit a free society.
—John Scott Lewinski, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
More generally, the red carpet has awash with Armani this year, with Blanchett stepping out in a vintage black gown at the opening ceremony and one fashion site spotting no-less than 13 outfits from the luxury brand at the Frankenstein premiere.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
The verse resumes, and the band soldiers on, Lenker’s perseverant guitar solo howling with the weary relief of a shipwrecked sailor spotting land.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2025
For public safety programs that rely on spotting sharks near beaches, or for scientists attempting to estimate population sizes, these biases mean aerial surveys provide only a partial and sometimes misleading picture.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
There were fewer people passing by the Crest each day and spotting advertisements for upcoming shows.
—Sacbee.com, 30 Aug. 2025
In the dense forests of Thailand, spotting an apex predator is a rare sight.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025
Five days earlier, on July 10, a neighbor had called police after spotting an intruder climbing Kaye’s fence, allegedly attempting to break into the couple's office.
—Danielle Bacher, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Noun
As the inversion lifts in the afternoon, fire behavior will increase to the north and northeast, with group torching, spotting, and uphill runs in mixed conifer stands containing heavy dead and down material.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Kissing Bugs Kissing bugs are small, dark, wingless insects with reddish spotting.
—Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 2 Sep. 2025
Enjoy a Florida-style expedition at the 1,322-acre Micro Scrub Sanctuary, a natural scrubby flatwoods and mesic flatwoods habitat that includes miles of trails for hiking, biking, and wildlife spotting.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2025
The Florian also is a great spot for plane spotting.
—Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 28 Aug. 2025
To accomplish this, Barton turned to the fundamental dance technique of spotting, where the dancer finds a focal point in front of them and whips their head around to hold that focus spot and keep themself centered.
—Oliver Sava, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2025
The spotting comes a week after Dominic McLaughlin, who is playing Harry Potter, was photographed on set.
—Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Since Moscow’s 2022 invasion, both sides have fielded drones for surveillance, artillery spotting, and increasingly lethal kamikaze strikes.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
The centerpiece of its design is a cardinal, and living in the South, many of us have watched the trees for these beloved birds as an early sign of spring each year (especially for those in Virginia spotting their state bird).
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
However, critics see it as rooting for the underdog running amok, spotting an academic Marxist concept used to limit a free society.
—John Scott Lewinski, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
More generally, the red carpet has awash with Armani this year, with Blanchett stepping out in a vintage black gown at the opening ceremony and one fashion site spotting no-less than 13 outfits from the luxury brand at the Frankenstein premiere.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
The verse resumes, and the band soldiers on, Lenker’s perseverant guitar solo howling with the weary relief of a shipwrecked sailor spotting land.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2025
For public safety programs that rely on spotting sharks near beaches, or for scientists attempting to estimate population sizes, these biases mean aerial surveys provide only a partial and sometimes misleading picture.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
There were fewer people passing by the Crest each day and spotting advertisements for upcoming shows.
—Sacbee.com, 30 Aug. 2025
In the dense forests of Thailand, spotting an apex predator is a rare sight.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025
Five days earlier, on July 10, a neighbor had called police after spotting an intruder climbing Kaye’s fence, allegedly attempting to break into the couple's office.
—Danielle Bacher, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotting
Noun
-
Our newest discovery at Amazon, the Generic 2-Story Prefabricated Tiny Home, is a one-bedroom abode with a spacious floor plan, a roomy deck, and a front porch for just $17,700.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
This discovery proves that the blueprint of star formation is the same across the galaxy, no matter how rich the environment is in heavy elements.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Under the post that included romantic and silly shots of Neeson sprinkling some popcorn over her head, Joely left a string of red heart emojis in the comments section.—
Jen Juneau,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Then, to complete the deep clean, Lane suggests, sprinkling baking soda on the bottom of the dishwasher and running a second hot cycle with no detergent.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Leaders need to practice empathy by noticing when silence lingers in a meeting, when a camera remains off, or when fatigue from time zones takes its toll.—
Matthew C. Meade,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
This was created after noticing that some new hires didn’t show up on their start date due to cold feet, second thoughts, or feeling another offer was safer.—
Roula Amire,
Fortune,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Breaking Bad actor Raymond Cruz was arrested Monday on suspicion of misdemeanor battery after allegedly spraying someone with a hose while washing his car in front of his home in Los Angeles.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Rather than spraying the formula directly onto her skin, our tester applied it to a cotton round instead.—
Esme Benjamin,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Sharma, who was not involved with the study, agreed with Jamieson that the findings may help scientists understand the aging process and develop new therapies that slow or reverse it.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The Fayette County Coroner's Office in Lexington, Kentucky, said in a statement that the autopsy on the male infant was completed, but the findings were inconclusive as extensive microscopic analyses are essential to determine the cause and manner of death.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Rescuers were battling to reach remote mountainous areas cut off from mobile networks along the Pakistani border, where mudbrick homes dotting the slopes collapsed in the quake.—
Mohammad Yunus Yawar,
USA Today,
1 Sep. 2025
-
From the tee, the water looks untouched, stretching out calm and serene, with a few homes dotting the far shore.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
His reaction to seeing his name on topping a list of creators who influence a billion dollar industry?—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Corr appeared to have knowledge of the victims daily routines and would make comments about ‘seeing them soon’.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Several observational studies have recently reported possible detections, but none are yet confirmed with high confidence.—
Luke Keller,
Space.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
This is only the second of its kind detection, making Sh 2-283-1a SMM1 an especially valuable target.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotting. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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