1
as in realizing
to come to an awareness of
I was startled to discover that my keys were missing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in finding
to come upon after searching, study, or effort
we hope to discover the real reason for his odd behavior
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disclosing
to make known (as information previously kept secret)
discovered to his friend how people whom he had trusted had betrayed him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of discovering
Though the first installment, based on books by Stephenie Meyer, was released in 2008, the franchise found new fans in younger TikTok users who were just discovering it for the first time.
—
Natalie Bennett, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
Sacramento County health inspectors closed a local Asian restaurant, indoor soccer business and a market after discovering live German cockroaches, operating without a valid health permit and other food safety violations.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Two years after discovering that more than 1,500 antiquities were missing from its collections, the British Museum is going on the offensive — by hiring a treasure hunter.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 8 Jan. 2026
And the world is discovering it in its entirety.
—CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
In addition to navigating the Fortnite landscape as a South Park main player, fans can delight in discovering items now unlockable from the game’s free Born in Chaos pass.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
Fans added fuel to the fire of speculation by discovering that Tisdale French still follows Trainor, but not Moore or Duff.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026
Across Ghana, Vietnam, and beyond, Black journeyers are discovering healthcare systems built on compassion, connection, and care instead of profit.
—Essence, 7 Jan. 2026
James Watson, a renowned molecular biologist and one of the Nobel Prize winners for discovering the structure of DNA, died Thursday after a brief illness, according to a statement from his former employer.
—Christina Zdanowicz, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discovering
Verb
-
Apparently realizing that launching feuds with other female celebrities could be bad for her burgeoning beauty-products brand, Tisdale immediately jumped into damage control mode Tuesday and had her rep insist to TMZ that her essay was not about Duff, Moore or Trainor.—
-
And in 1945, American inventor Percy Spencer developed the microwave oven after realizing that the candy bar in his pocket began to melt near a magnetron.—
Verb
-
The series chronicles three New Yorkers who come together over their love of true crime podcasts and end up finding themselves at the center of more than a few true crimes.—
-
At least in the interim, Duke deserves credit for finding ways to win despite some of its defensive deficiencies.—
Verb
-
With broad language about protecting members of the firing squad, Bresnahan said the state could argue for not disclosing training methods, qualifications and any safeguards.—
-
The company announced the funding round on its website, disclosing a list of strategic investors that include NVIDIA and Cisco, as well as sovereign wealth funds from Abu Dhabi and Qatar, Valor Equity Partners, Stepstone Group, Fidelity, and Baron Capital Group.—
Verb
-
Kinnear said the Checkers are still learning to deal with things such as lengthy road trips.—
-
Dancing along to educational songs brings you and your kids closer together—and turns learning about their world into a fun game.—
Verb
-
After locating handgun ammunition in the SUV, Burbank PD used a helicopter and police dog named Spike to locate Alas along a steep embankment along the freeway.—
-
Officials have requested the public's help in locating the two men, and also shared CCTV footage showing what the men were wearing on New Year’s Day.—
Verb
-
This collection gathers 27 of her stories in English translation, revealing the narrative complexity, keen psychological insight, and careful attention to realistic detail that was characteristic of her work.—
-
Buried beneath old factories and layers of earth, this slice of a city was brought back to life, revealing a settlement that once held a prominent regional position as a center of industry and trade.—
Verb
-
Federal officials have said agents, including those part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are seeing increases in assaults and threats against them.—
-
Since the suitcase won’t be as easy to zip open, thieves will have a harder time seeing whether or not your belongings are valuable; this alone could prevent your bag from becoming a target.—
Verb
-
Local journalism, formerly the institution most responsible for uncovering wrongdoing, has been gutted.—
-
The researchers are hopeful that uncovering the processes preceding Alzheimer’s disease could one day lead to new therapies.—
Cite this Entry
“Discovering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discovering. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share