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
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 discern
Branden was my lighthouse, guiding me to shore, discerning, relentless, tireless in his pursuit of truth.
—
Sarah Paulson, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2025
Step into the incredible gourmet kitchen designed for the discerning chef.
—Monica Lander, Mercury News, 30 May 2025
The odiferous hypocrisy of this administration is visible to everyone who has discerning eyes — or a sense of smell.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 29 May 2025
But spectacle alone doesn’t captivate those with a discerning eye.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for discern
Sarah Paulson, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2025
Step into the incredible gourmet kitchen designed for the discerning chef.
—Monica Lander, Mercury News, 30 May 2025
The odiferous hypocrisy of this administration is visible to everyone who has discerning eyes — or a sense of smell.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 29 May 2025
But spectacle alone doesn’t captivate those with a discerning eye.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for discern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discern
Verb
-
Nineteenth-century Americans did not simply notice hair’s unusual properties.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
-
La Rue claims Leto was observing her so intensely that her mother noticed.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
The Democrats on stage, though largely agreeing about policy, sought to differentiate themselves.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
-
Other innovations include behavioral biometrics, which measure unique user behavior, such as typing patterns and mouse movements, and liveness detection tools that differentiate between real people and deepfakes.—
Gary Drenik,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
But Greene, a serial entrepreneur, says there’s been a missing piece — advanced search that can understand queries that go well beyond the basics of a title or actor.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
10 June 2025
-
To understand how the deportation dragnet works, TIME joined ICE officers on a pair of morning raids in the New Orleans area.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
10 June 2025
Verb
-
Larry Snelling could be seen in the Loop as part of a police presence around the crowd.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2025
-
For viewers who prefer to see the film on the big screen, Jaws is scheduled to be re-released in theaters on Aug. 29 in celebration of the film’s 50th anniversary.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
Verb
-
Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead but does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in count.—
WAFAA SHURAFA,
Arkansas Online,
15 June 2025
-
Beyond his accolades, his journey distinguishes him in a field frequently focused on settlements rather than meaningful impacts.—
Jon Stojan,
USA Today,
15 June 2025
Verb
-
Brandon Galli-Graves, Staff Attorney at Justice Action Center, said that the organization does not know how DHS will conduct immigration enforcement toward beneficiaries of the program.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
-
As someone who lost their father before doing Top Chef and knowing the fire that can ignite someone going into this competition is unattainable.—
Buddha Lo,
People.com,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
An invasive creature native to South America has been spotted at a Northern California park, prompting a search, rangers reported.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2025
-
The unreleased feature has been spotted in a beta version of Android 16 Tired of super-bright HDR videos and photos popping up in your social feeds?—
Paul Monckton,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
Sometimes, Tarhan explained, women will flip the cups over and try and try to decipher the meaning left behind by the coffee sediment — kind of like reading your fortune in tea leaves.—
Samantha Husted,
Charlotte Observer,
12 May 2025
-
Finally, Ross helps boost your energy intelligence to decipher when rest requires slowing down and when it’s achieved by accelerating in a new, reinvigorating direction.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discern. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share