see

1 of 2

verb

saw ˈsȯ How to pronounce see (audio) ; seen ˈsēn How to pronounce see (audio) ; seeing ˈsē-iŋ How to pronounce see (audio)

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 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 see through
: to grasp the true nature of
saw through the scheme
see to
: to attend to : care for

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.” See More
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 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'see.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of see was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near see

Cite this Entry

“See.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/see. Accessed 27 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

see

1 of 2 verb
saw ˈsȯ How to pronounce see (audio) ; seen ˈsēn How to pronounce see (audio) ; seeing ˈsē-iŋ How to pronounce see (audio)
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
saw ˈsȯ How to pronounce see (audio) ; seen ˈsēn How to pronounce see (audio) ; seeing ˈsē-iŋ How to pronounce see (audio)

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

Thomas Jefferson Jackson 1866–1962 American astronomer and mathematician

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