see

1 of 2

verb

ˈsē 

saw ˈsȯ  ; seen ˈsēn  ; seeing ˈsē-iŋ 

transitive verb

1

a

: to perceive by the eye

b

: to perceive or detect as if by sight

2

a

: to be aware of : recognize

sees only our faults

b

: to imagine as a possibility : suppose

couldn't see him as a crook

c

: to form a mental picture of : visualize

can still see her as she was years ago

d

: to perceive the meaning or importance of : understand

3

a

: to come to know : discover

b

: to be the setting or time of

The last fifty years have seen a sweeping revolution in science …

—Barry Commoner

c

: to have experience of : undergo

see army service

4

a

: examine, watch

want to see how she handles the problem

b(1)

: read

(2)

: to read of

c

: to attend as a spectator

see a play

5

a

: to make sure

See that order is kept.

b

: to take care of : provide for

had enough money to see us through

6

a

: to find acceptable or attractive

can't understand what he sees in her

b

: to regard as : judge

c

: to prefer to have

I'll see him hanged first.

I'll see you dead before I accept your terms.

7

a

: to call on : visit

b(1)

: to keep company with especially in courtship or dating

had been seeing each other for a year

(2)

: to grant an interview to : receive

The president will see you now.

8

: accompany, escort

See the guests to the door.

9

: to meet (a bet) in poker or to equal the bet of (a player) : call

intransitive verb

1

a

: to apprehend objects by sight

b

: to have the power of sight

c

: to perceive objects as if by sight

2

a

: to look about

b

: to give or pay attention

3

a

: to grasp something mentally

b

: to acknowledge or consider something being pointed out

See, I told you it would rain.

4

: to make investigation or inquiry

seeable

ˈsē-ə-bəl 

adjective

see

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a seat of a bishop's office, power, or authority

b

: a cathedral town

c

archaic : cathedra

2

: the authority or jurisdiction of a bishop

Phrases

see after

: to attend to : care for

see eye to eye

: to have a common viewpoint : agree

see red

: to become very angry

see the light

: to discover or realize a usually obscured truth

see the light of day

: to become publicly known or available (as through publication)

manuscripts that will never see the light of day

see things

: hallucinate

see through

: to grasp the true nature of

saw through the scheme

see to

: to attend to : care for

Synonyms

Verb

• behold
• catch
• descry
• discern
• distinguish
• espy
• eye
• look (at)
• note
• notice
• observe
• perceive
• regard
• remark
• sight
• spot
• spy
• view
• witness

Example Sentences

Verb

It was so dark that I couldn't see anything.

I can't see a thing without my glasses.

Would you turn on the light? I can hardly see a thing.

Let me see what you're holding in your hand.

I saw your sister at the party, but I didn't talk to her.

I saw her take the money.

Nobody saw the accident happen.

He was last seen leaving his house yesterday morning.

You have to see it to believe it.

“He says he's coming.” “I'll believe it when I see it.”

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Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

White hills billowed around me as far as the eye could see, and the town below was nestled between peaks like a fairy-tale village. —Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2023

The National Weather Service plans to look at storm damage in Marion County today (Saturday) and see if a tornado was to blame. —Leigh Morgan, al, 4 Mar. 2023

The most common approach is for each to collaborate on existing products and see what pairs well, though in the past breweries and distilleries have produced offerings specifically for the event. —oregonlive, 4 Mar. 2023

The Victorian scientist James Glaisher wanted to create a map of the upper atmosphere, and see how the qualities of air changed with altitude. —Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2023

The weather service said some areas could see blizzard conditions with snowfall approaching 3 inches per hour. —CBS News, 4 Mar. 2023

Check out Andrea’s story and see protection dogs in training. —Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2023

While the overall downtown homeless population did see a slight decrease in February, the count still was among the highest ever recorded, and dense encampments continue to line parts of Commercial Street and the surrounding neighborhood. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2023

On social media in particular, Cooper has a growing following among Black women writers and other creative people who see in her work a model for making powerful, accessible art. —Adam Bradley Tajh Rust, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2023

Noun

These forsaken, forgotten dolls are stuck on a perpetually moving see-saw for eternity, taking turns bouncing on their plaything, yet still appearing completely lifeless. —Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 15 Sep. 2022

The entire natural climate cycle is officially known as the El Niño – Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, a see-saw dance of warmer and cooler seawater in the central Pacific Ocean. —Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 8 July 2021

The stations include a 5-foot-long wave slide (with handrails and a safe landing bumper), a see-saw, and three different types of swings: traditional, padded super disc, and a stand-or-sit option. —Erica Reagle, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2023

When the ice melted, the see-saw rebounded: the land rose in places that had been covered in ice and sank in places, like the Southeast, that had been ice-free. —Teake Zuidema, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2021

Rita Ora had everyone seeing stars in this see-through tan latex dress with which exposed her underwear and silver star pasties during her performance at Heaven nightclub in London with RuPaul's Drag Race alum, Jimbo. —Zizi Strater, Peoplemag, 31 Jan. 2023

Minute pirate bugs may sometimes be confused with no-see-ums, which are also very small and actively bite people during summer and fall. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2022

Even while swatting away swarming no-see-ums, Lauralee never stopped smiling. —Walter Nicklin, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022

Travellers forced to splash through swamps under attack from blackflies, no-see-ums, and deerflies, or to make long, tiresome detours around watery areas, complained vociferously and called to the heavens for drainage. —Annie Proulx, The New Yorker, 27 June 2022

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Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English seen, from Old English sēon; akin to Old High German sehan to see and perhaps to Latin sequi to follow — more at sue

Noun

Middle English se, from Anglo-French sé, see, from Latin sedes seat; akin to Latin sedēre to sit — more at sit

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Phrases Containing see

• a sight to see/behold
• look-see
• I'd (just) like to see him try
• as/so far as one can see/tell/judge
• let me see
• (I'll/we'll) see you around
• as far as the eye can see
• no-see-um
• must-see
• long time no see
• see/think fit
• see/read the writing/handwriting on the wall
• see double
• see and be seen
• see off
• see around/round
• see here
• see if I care
• see (someone) around
• see oneself out
• see one's way (clear) to
• see out
• see the day
• see stars
• see the back of
• see (something) in (something or someone)
• see the last of (someone or something)
• see the light
• so I see
• see you (around/later)
• show/see (someone) to the door
• see to it
• we'll see
• suck it and see
• what/who should someone see but
• we'll (soon) see about that
• see over
• not see the wood for the trees
• fail to see/understand
• not see the forest for the trees
• see dollar signs
• see sense
• not see why not
• let's see
• see through
• see action
• re-see
• see the new year in
• see about
• see daylight
• live to see the day
• see/travel the world
• see eye to eye
• see after
• see things
• see the light of day
• see to
• see red

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• a sight to see/behold
• look-see
• I'd (just) like to see him try
• as/so far as one can see/tell/judge
• let me see
• (I'll/we'll) see you around
• as far as the eye can see
• no-see-um
• must-see
• long time no see
• see/think fit
• see/read the writing/handwriting on the wall
• see double
• see and be seen
• see off
• see around/round
• see here
• see if I care
• see (someone) around
• see oneself out
• see one's way (clear) to
• see out
• see the day
• see stars
• see the back of
• see (something) in (something or someone)
• see the last of (someone or something)
• see the light
• so I see
• see you (around/later)
• show/see (someone) to the door
• see to it
• we'll see
• suck it and see
• what/who should someone see but
• we'll (soon) see about that
• see over
• not see the wood for the trees
• fail to see/understand
• not see the forest for the trees
• see dollar signs
• see sense
• not see why not
• let's see
• see through
• see action
• re-see
• see the new year in
• see about
• see daylight
• live to see the day
• see/travel the world
• see eye to eye
• see after
• see things
• see the light of day
• see to
• see red

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Kids Definition

see

1 of 2 verb

ˈsē 

saw ˈsȯ  ; seen ˈsēn  ; seeing ˈsē-iŋ 

1

a

: to become aware of by means of the eyes or have the power of sight

see a bird

a person who cannot see

b

: to give or pay attention

see, the bus is coming

2

a

: to have experience of : undergo

had seen life on a farm

b

: to know or find out by investigation

see what's wrong with the car

c

: to acknowledge or consider something being pointed out

see, I told you it would rain

3

a

: to form a mental picture of : visualize

I can see it now in my mind

b

: to understand the meaning or importance of

I see what you mean

c

: to be aware of : recognize

sees only our faults

d

: to imagine as a possibility

couldn't see him as a crook

4

a

: to provide for

had enough money to see them through

b

: to make sure

see that the job gets done

5

a

: to call on : visit

see a sick friend

b

(1)

: to keep company with especially in courtship or dating

had been seeing each other for a year

(2)

: to grant an interview to : receive

the president will see you

6

: accompany sense 1, escort

I'll see you home

see

2 of 2 noun

1

: the city in which a bishop's church is located

2

: the area in which a bishop has authority : diocese

Medical Definition

see

verb

ˈsē 

saw ˈsȯ  ; seen ˈsēn  ; seeing ˈsē-iŋ 

transitive verb

: to perceive by the eye

intransitive verb

1

: to have the power of sight

2

: to apprehend objects by sight

Biographical Definition

See

biographical name

ˈsē 

Thomas Jefferson Jackson 1866–1962 American astronomer and mathematician