discern
Other forms: discerned; discerning; discerns
If you can make out, pick out, or distinguish something, you can discern it. This is a word for recognizing and perceiving things.
Discerning has to do with being able to see or hear something. In a loud room, it can be hard to discern one person's voice. If there's not much light, you'll have trouble discerning the words on a page well enough to read. If you have sloppy handwriting, then it's hard to discern what you wrote. When you can discern something, you can tell what it is; you can identify it.
-
perceive, recognize, or detect with the sensessynonyms: distinguish, make out, pick out, recognise, recognize, spot, tell apart
-
recognize or perceive the differencesynonyms: discriminate, know aparttypes:subtilizemark fine distinctions and subtleties, as among wordstype of:differentiate, distinguish, secern, secernate, separate, severalise, severalize, tell, tell apartmark as different
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing discern
Centered around Okonkwo, an Igbo leader who is banished from his community, this novel explores the tension between white missionaries and tribal culture in Nigeria.
Sparks fly when Romeo and Juliet first meet, but their families are sworn enemies locked in an ancient feud. Learn these words from Shakespeare's classic tale of star-crossed love.
Learn these essential words that you'll encounter in literature, textbooks, class discussions, and more.