1
as in sensing
to have a vague awareness of
I thought I perceived a problem, but I wasn't sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in noticing
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
perceived that it was going to be a nice day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in knowing
to have a clear idea of
I perceive your point, but I still disagree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perceiving
But that would depend on the animals perceiving the temperature shift—and having the capacity to do things differently.
—
Elizabeth Preston, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
The model is better than predecessors at creating spreadsheets, building presentations, perceiving images, writing code and understanding long context, OpenAI said.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Shifting gears, rather than perceiving AI as a competitor, budding therapists would be wise to perceive AI as a collaborator.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In 2024, Nepal ranked 107th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, with 84% of people perceiving government corruption to be a major problem.
—Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
Chronic pain usually results from your nervous system perceiving an area of instability in your body.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Gabby dislikes Sebastian, perceiving him as an entitled womanizer.
—EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
This tricks our brains into perceiving the moon as bigger when near the horizon rather than high overhead — however, the moon of course exhibits the same angular size in both locations.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2025
These active hunters, rather than passively perceiving their environment, require sharper vision to locate and capture prey.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perceiving
Verb
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But then Tisdale French started sensing a distance between herself and the other moms.—
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Congress, sensing leverage or electoral opportunity, could legislate controls that no summit can unwind.—
Verb
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Or noticing that your hands feel inexplicably stiff and swollen, making simple tasks like opening a jar or even typing feel unusually difficult.—
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The second witness went inside for safety, then re-emerged, noticing the brothers were fighting, court records state.—
Verb
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The couple, who did not grow up knowing one another because of estrangements in their families, faced criticism from both sets of parents for the union.—
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Another resident, Carolyn Reeves, said not knowing if the annexation would bring in commercial or residential development raises suspicion.—
Verb
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Federal officials have said agents, including those part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are seeing increases in assaults and threats against them.—
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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
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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.—
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There’s great wildlife spotting.—
Verb
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The key to making the right decision is understanding all your options beforehand.—
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His perspective positions the next wave of transformation not around deeper analysis, but around autonomous action, systems capable of understanding situations, deciding optimal responses, and executing those responses in real time.—
Verb
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The Whiteroom + Cactus Contrast Waist Satin Trousers will elevate any knit while secretly feeling like pajamas, thanks to their drapey fit and drawstring waistband.—
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At one point, the actress became hyper-focused on social media posts after feeling detached from the group.—
Verb
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The township is arguing that state law regarding government employee protections against lawsuits conflicts with federal court rulings.—
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Currently, there are no specifics available regarding the size of area burned or the crew conducting the prescribed fire.—
Cite this Entry
“Perceiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perceiving. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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