as in discovery
the act or process of sighting or learning the existence of something for the first time
the spotting of a new bird is always a thrill for an avid bird-watcher
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in sprinkling
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
to give the effect of sunlight on water, the artist spotted the lake in his painting with flecks of gold paint
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in noticing
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
I spotted both of them as they tried to sneak out the back door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in spraying
to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on
the TV networks had spotted reporters all over the state for the election
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotting
Noun
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The discovery emerged last month in the town of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province, which is strategically located on the route between the cities of Aleppo and Damascus.—
Omar Albam,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025 -
The odds are that those discoveries could be used for the good of humankind or to harm humankind.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Given the findings above, concerns about backsliding seem unwarranted.—
Karlyn Bowman,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
The findings also indicate that the Bay Area has a 51% chance of experiencing an earthquake with a magnitude of 7 and a 20% chance of measuring a magnitude of 7.5 or higher within that time frame.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
Verb
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Saint Alphonsus is still seeing some sporadic RSV cases and typical COVID cases for this time of year, Kitamura said.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Jan. 2025
-
The games have been about playing spoiler in the NFC playoff picture and seeing what on this 2024 roster is transferrable to the future.—
Saad Yousuf,
The Athletic,
5 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
An invasive species of stinging ant is spreading across the United States with detections in at least 20 states.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
10 June 2025
-
Experts agree that most adults benefit from seeing a dentist at least twice a year for preventive care and early detection of issues like cavities and gum disease.—
Perri Ormont Blumberg,
Time,
9 June 2025
Verb
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The exclamations continued, though, with everyone else on my new team peppering their prose with similar jolts of electricity.—
Danny Heitman,
Christian Science Monitor,
2 Apr. 2025
-
Owens came back by peppering Zayn with several shots using a trash can lid.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Casting of new roles is expected to begin shortly, with production eying a July start, sources said.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
14 Mar. 2025
-
The Warriors are currently riding high on a five-game win streak, and are eyeing a potential top-four seed in the West.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Operations in Egypt are only just recovering from a production slump, and uncertainty remains regarding the start of production for its Suriname project.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
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Newly released military documents regarding New Year's Day attackers Matthew Livelsberger and Shamsud-Din Jabbar show that while both were stationed at then-Fort Bragg and deployed to Afghanistan, the two never served together.—
Greg Wehner,
Fox News,
6 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Spotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotting. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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