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
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Recent Examples of spotting
Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026
This is bear and moose territory, so adhere to park instructions for safe spotting.
—Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2026
But the Singita Grumeti team, most drawn from the surrounding communities, are well drilled in spotting, and responding to, wildlife.
—Tom Vanderbilt, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Mar. 2026
This latest spotting, however, took place in Punta Mita, a peninsula on the Mexican Pacific coast.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
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
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
The drones are designed to perform autonomously or via remote control while doing such things as stalking submarines, spotting mines and serving as advance scouts for aircraft carriers.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
Families flock to the Cape for mini-golfing, traipsing around sand dunes, comparing ice cream stands, gobbling up lobster rolls, spotting whales, and simply admiring the gray cedar shake houses adorned with colorful buoys.
—Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
In a world filled with trillions upon trillions of atoms, spotting a handful that barely exist sounds almost impossible.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
According to the Wall Street Journal, investor John Devaney first encountered the property in 2003 during a helicopter lesson, spotting its massive private helipad jutting into the bay below.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2026
Imagine strolling through Newark Liberty International Airport and spotting puppies at every turn — baggage claim, security checkpoints, boarding gates.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
This sky cam from Embleton offers a wide field of view ideal for spotting meteors streaking across large sections of sky.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Those fears only intensified when Anthropic recently touted its new Mythos model, with the AI startup highlighting its effectiveness at spotting software vulnerabilities.
—Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
Diseases to look out for in dragon fruit include stem canker, stem soft rot, Bipolaris cactivora (which causes rapid black-brown spotting on fruit and stems), and Anthracnose (which causes reddish-brown, sunken-in spots on stems and fruit).
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026
This is bear and moose territory, so adhere to park instructions for safe spotting.
—Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2026
But the Singita Grumeti team, most drawn from the surrounding communities, are well drilled in spotting, and responding to, wildlife.
—Tom Vanderbilt, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Mar. 2026
This latest spotting, however, took place in Punta Mita, a peninsula on the Mexican Pacific coast.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
Overhead watering may cause flowers to droop or spotting on petals; certain species are more subject to disease if watered from above.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
The drones are designed to perform autonomously or via remote control while doing such things as stalking submarines, spotting mines and serving as advance scouts for aircraft carriers.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
Families flock to the Cape for mini-golfing, traipsing around sand dunes, comparing ice cream stands, gobbling up lobster rolls, spotting whales, and simply admiring the gray cedar shake houses adorned with colorful buoys.
—Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
In a world filled with trillions upon trillions of atoms, spotting a handful that barely exist sounds almost impossible.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
According to the Wall Street Journal, investor John Devaney first encountered the property in 2003 during a helicopter lesson, spotting its massive private helipad jutting into the bay below.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2026
Imagine strolling through Newark Liberty International Airport and spotting puppies at every turn — baggage claim, security checkpoints, boarding gates.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
This sky cam from Embleton offers a wide field of view ideal for spotting meteors streaking across large sections of sky.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Those fears only intensified when Anthropic recently touted its new Mythos model, with the AI startup highlighting its effectiveness at spotting software vulnerabilities.
—Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotting
Noun
-
For as long as man has been on Earth, the night sky has been the source of mystery, romance, religion, art and scientific discovery.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The state Department of Revenue Services formed a new discovery unit to quickly identify non-filers, increase audit rates and improve outreach to delinquent taxpayers to encourage payments.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some suggest sprinkling it on the soil around your plants to keep slugs away, but baking soda has the potential of seeping into the soil and damaging roots.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
-
But in 2026, simply sprinkling in a few whimsical accents isn’t quite enough.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
January 20 – February 18 Your voice stands out today, and people are noticing.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Aquarius January 20 – February 18 Your voice stands out today, and people are noticing.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The scene was chaotic, Mosser said, with federal agents pepper-spraying community members, engaging with protestors, raising non-lethal weapons and even unholstering their guns.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
Those incidents involved tackling and arresting a journalist, slamming a man to the ground, spraying people with pepper spray, punching a bystander and pointing his firearm at bystanders, according to the report.—
Selina Guevara,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Rasch and Arzi’s most significant findings were from sleep stages in which people dream less frequently.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
The commission also sent its findings to the Kane County state’s attorney, the Chicago Police Department and police departments in towns where other major immigration enforcement actions occurred, including Elgin, Franklin Park and Evanston, Pritzker said.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Umbrellas are dotting the viewing area as a Marine band entertains guests.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
And some nail artists use a dotting tool or a thin nail brush dipped into the thick gel to fashion their dew-like beads.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The one big missing piece was seeing her team finally capture an elusive state championship.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Mario Tama / Getty Images file In a report whose data was largely compiled before the recent run-up, Bank of America analysts found that so far, only lower-income households were seeing a significant impact on their budgets from higher gas prices.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The suspect, arrested on suspicion of robbery and brought to the hospital for observation, obtained a gun despite weapon detection screening.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Therefore, the researchers now plan to improve detection efficiency and push sensitivity even further, with the hope of identifying other ultra-rare isotopes that have so far remained invisible.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotting. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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