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
While in high school, Ham contemplated becoming a priest and would spend a weekend each month at a nearby seminary to discern his faith.
—
Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025
Commercially, deft handling by discerning arthouse distributors will be required to draw audiences to a knotty, novelistic work that is, in the most rewarding possible way, difficult to package or summarize.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 May 2025
Yet amid all the business fanfare, the outlines of an emerging Trump foreign policy could be discerned.
—Howard Lafranchi, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
And make no mistake: staying relevant for a quarter-century among the world’s most discerning creative community is no small feat.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for discern
Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025
Commercially, deft handling by discerning arthouse distributors will be required to draw audiences to a knotty, novelistic work that is, in the most rewarding possible way, difficult to package or summarize.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 May 2025
Yet amid all the business fanfare, the outlines of an emerging Trump foreign policy could be discerned.
—Howard Lafranchi, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
And make no mistake: staying relevant for a quarter-century among the world’s most discerning creative community is no small feat.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for discern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discern
Verb
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Other journalists noticed a drop-off in performance for the convertibles, and probably more so than the mild weight gains of just about 100 lbs (45 kg) might suggest.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
ArsTechnica,
30 May 2025
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Karen Walsh began to notice a change in her husband back in 2017.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
30 May 2025
Verb
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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
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The Democrats on stage, though largely agreeing about policy, sought to differentiate themselves.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Both Wong and Barratt understand the assignments here.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2025
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For a long time, a very evolved, smart person that makes poor choices sometimes can still understand what that means.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
30 May 2025
Verb
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And while the current president has probably seen some of Llamas' work on NBC, the anchor is also aware of his new platform.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
2 June 2025
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The strength in sports reflected the wider rebound seen in the broader markets, which saw action in the month dominated by knee-jerk reactions to Trump tariff announcements followed by sharp rebound days due what investors began calling the TACO trade.—
Brendan Coffey,
Sportico.com,
2 June 2025
Verb
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Thus, Israel’s defense establishment formulated a war concept that distinguished between terrorists and the civilian population in Gaza and strived to cause significant damage to Hamas, even if not to destroy every last Hamas fighter.—
Assaf Orion,
Foreign Affairs,
3 June 2025
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The headaches typically occur on the same side as the tumor or cyst and can be challenging for healthcare providers to distinguish from a true headache disorder.6 What Are the Symptoms of Chronic Migraine?—
Cathy Nelson,
Verywell Health,
3 June 2025
Verb
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When shopping for pure silk, be sure look for bedding labels that note 100% mulberry silk, also known as natural silk.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
31 May 2025
-
In the event of your vehicle hydroplaning, here's what to know: Ease off the accelerator - Step off the gas to slow down the vehicle until the tires find traction.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2025
Verb
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With a portfolio that has included Apple, Google, WhatsApp, and Stripe, Sequoia’s longstanding dominance on the list is an indicator of the firm’s ability to spot visionary founders and back them through all stages of growth.—
TrueBridge Capital,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
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They usually are spotted alone or in groups of two or three and use side-lunging as a way of feeding on schools of fish, the NOAA said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
27 May 2025
Verb
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As Guidry and Bowen try to decipher what led to Adam’s murder, viewers are taken on a ride.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
29 May 2025
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As advocates on both sides of the police accountability debate decipher what Trump's about-face means for those communities, some are now focusing on what his administration might do next as allies seek to redefine the summer of 2020.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discern. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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