1
as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
barely able to discern the garden gate through the mist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to differentiate
to understand or point out the difference in
too young to discern between right and wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to understand
to have a clear idea of
we're still trying to discern the meaning of that cryptic remark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of discern
Increasingly, discerning travelers are turning to small-ship luxury cruises for exclusive, thoughtful experiences that were once impossible without a private yacht.
—
Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
The plot concerns a man who has come home to see his semi-estranged, dying father and who tries, with exasperation, to discern what bits of reality lie in his dad’s fantastical life stories.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2025
The logic of platooning the two veterans at first base isn't difficult to discern.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Despite that galaxy appearing smudged over just a handful of pixels, astronomers are still able to discern something about the supernova’s galactic environment.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discern
Verb
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The theft wasn't noticed until a store employee saw that the entire caviar section was empty, which led management to check their security cameras.—
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One game, Jordan Ross, his roommate, noticed that Jake was too late to rotate over on a double-team from the baseline side on a drive.—
Verb
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This dual demand profile differentiates silver from gold, creating different price dynamics.—
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Those figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.—
Verb
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Even though just three can alert to an emergency, many more are needed to understand what is behind those emergencies.—
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Those specifics aside, more stunningly, researchers discovered that these brave, early explorers of new worlds demonstrated a different way of moving than had been previously understood.—
Verb
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The Carolina Panthers saw their season come to an end in a way that tugged on all sorts of emotions — after a game that was equal parts thrilling and blissful and heartbreaking.—
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His car was seen arriving shortly before the time the murders were believed to have been committed and left shortly after, according to court documents.—
Verb
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Tarr's reputation for films tinged with misery and hard-heartedness, distinguished by black-and-white cinematography and unusually long sequences, only grew throughout the 1990s and 2000s, particularly after his 1994 film Sátántangó.—
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Hofman's photos of the Ross seal — often distinguished by its broad, dark stripes on its body and neck, as well as its large eyes — show the seal facing the camera directly, with its flippers and tail trailing behind it.—
Verb
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Elordi played Frankenstein's monster — known as the Creature — in this adaptation of the story, and he was also nominated at the Globes for his performance.—
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Other birds might have imprinted on humans and do not know how to hunt their own food.—
Verb
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The two seemingly went public with their romance months later, in April 2022, when they were spotted kissing out in West Hollywood.—
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Having designed dozens of homes and studied many more, interior designers become accustomed to spotting some of the same home accessories over and over again.—
Verb
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So, the thinking went, every costume, prop, and line reading is there for a reason, infinite symbolism scattered across the frame for anyone determined enough to decipher it.—
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By building out a picture of the whales’ health, habits and diet, researchers are deciphering the many ways humans impact their lives and guiding conservation actions that may mean life or death for the orcas.—
Cite this Entry
“Discern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discern. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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