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
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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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of spotting
Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Head out onto the 1,500-foot pier for some fishing or wildlife spotting, or walk across the street to Pier Park for lunch or a little shopping to get out of the sun.
—Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Avoid getting water on African violet leaves, which can cause leaf spotting and encourage mildew.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2026
Dry Your Shower and Close the Curtain Get rid of waterdrops on shower walls and doors to prevent mildew growth and water-spotting in about 30 seconds with a squeegee.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
This spotting confirms to conservationists that the elusive species is breeding successfully in southern Thailand.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
From caves and lakeside swims to wildlife spotting and more, this spot where Missouri meets Arkansas is the perfect place to spend your next break with kids.
—Kaity Velez, Parents, 23 Dec. 2025
This year's Orionids shower is due to peak when there is a new moon, providing darker skies and ideal conditions for meteor spotting.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Farther east, Amsterdamse Bos is a forest three times larger than Central Park, with lots of trails and wildlife spotting—and even a ropes-and-zip line course.
—Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 1 Oct. 2025
Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 17 Feb. 2026
Locals say more than 30,000 green vervet monkeys live on the island, with early morning and late afternoon the best time for monkey spotting.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
Professionals use specialized spotting agents to treat stains safely while protecting delicate fibers.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 15 Feb. 2026
Between jokes about research funding and the scientific questions that might arise upon spotting a fuzzy pink Tyrannosaurus rex on a strange planet, Lemming uses her protagonist, Dory, to poke fun at romance tropes and graduate student woes alike.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
There may also be spotting between cycles.
—Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Flow Space, 13 Feb. 2026
But more recently, his son Avram has been given more credit for spotting the potential in sport beyond America’s shores.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Garlic is a kitchen staple for many, but spotting a green sprout poking out of a clove can raise questions about food safety.
—Caitlin Beale, Health, 11 Feb. 2026
After spotting a mail truck and carrier, McBee jumped out of the Toyota and demanded the carrier’s keys.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
The first spotting of golden mussels was in October 2024.
—Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Head out onto the 1,500-foot pier for some fishing or wildlife spotting, or walk across the street to Pier Park for lunch or a little shopping to get out of the sun.
—Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Avoid getting water on African violet leaves, which can cause leaf spotting and encourage mildew.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2026
Dry Your Shower and Close the Curtain Get rid of waterdrops on shower walls and doors to prevent mildew growth and water-spotting in about 30 seconds with a squeegee.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
This spotting confirms to conservationists that the elusive species is breeding successfully in southern Thailand.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
From caves and lakeside swims to wildlife spotting and more, this spot where Missouri meets Arkansas is the perfect place to spend your next break with kids.
—Kaity Velez, Parents, 23 Dec. 2025
This year's Orionids shower is due to peak when there is a new moon, providing darker skies and ideal conditions for meteor spotting.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Farther east, Amsterdamse Bos is a forest three times larger than Central Park, with lots of trails and wildlife spotting—and even a ropes-and-zip line course.
—Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
Lacking distinct features and used in the electrode at less than five percent by weight, the component plays an important role in holding the electrodes together, and spotting it can help improve its performance, according to a press release.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 17 Feb. 2026
Locals say more than 30,000 green vervet monkeys live on the island, with early morning and late afternoon the best time for monkey spotting.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
Professionals use specialized spotting agents to treat stains safely while protecting delicate fibers.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 15 Feb. 2026
Between jokes about research funding and the scientific questions that might arise upon spotting a fuzzy pink Tyrannosaurus rex on a strange planet, Lemming uses her protagonist, Dory, to poke fun at romance tropes and graduate student woes alike.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
There may also be spotting between cycles.
—Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Flow Space, 13 Feb. 2026
But more recently, his son Avram has been given more credit for spotting the potential in sport beyond America’s shores.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Garlic is a kitchen staple for many, but spotting a green sprout poking out of a clove can raise questions about food safety.
—Caitlin Beale, Health, 11 Feb. 2026
After spotting a mail truck and carrier, McBee jumped out of the Toyota and demanded the carrier’s keys.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotting
Noun
-
If a plan changes, your upbeat flexibility is equipped to turn detours into discoveries.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Ehorn declined to discuss the clue that led to the discovery.—
Todd Richmond,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Player props have become such a big and fun part of betting on the big game, so here are 11 that are worth sprinkling a few bucks on.—
KC Joyner,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Upon noticing a doorbell camera, the subject calmly seeks foliage from Guthrie’s porch area to try and obscure the lens.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Video footage shows the person approaching the front door, noticing the camera and trying to cover the lens with their hand.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Images and videos flooded social media of immigration law enforcement’s violent encounters with protesters, including shooting rubber bullets, spraying chemical agents at close range and smashing car windows.—
Daniella Silva,
NBC news,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The scale of the war effort had necessitated the creation of a health infrastructure on American soil—spraying for mosquitoes near the front lines in the Pacific wouldn’t mean anything if soldiers caught malaria at home before deployment.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The research findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The investigation's findings said claims had been made that staff under his predecessor had been involved in the sale of lands within the national park.—
ED DAVEY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For years, rapid growth has been reshaping neighborhoods across Austin, the continuing transformation marked by cranes dotting the skyline, road closures and steel rising across the metro area.—
Travis Webb,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Sundance could anoint hits, dotting the industry’s creative landscape with unlikely blockbusters.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Around back-to-school time every August, health providers in Dallas are used to seeing lines of patients out the door to get routine immunizations, Huang said, but not this year.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Daughter #1 will not communicate with #2 and won’t even acknowledge her new baby and even seeing a photo of the baby can set her off.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Although noninvasive stool tests such as Cologuard can make screening easier to access, colonoscopy remains the gold standard for colorectal cancer detection.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Research shows that early detection of disordered behaviors, awareness of eating disorders in athletics, and education for athletes, families and coaches are all strong prevention strategies.—
Emily Hemendinger,
The Conversation,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotting. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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