perceive
Americanverb (used with object)
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perceives,
present (3rd person singular)
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perceived,
past participle, past
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perceiving
present participle
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to become aware of, know, or identify by means of the senses.
I perceived an object looming through the mist.
- Synonyms:
- distinguish, descry, observe, discover, note
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to recognize, discern, envision, or understand: This is a nice idea but I perceive difficulties in putting it into practice.
I perceive a note of sarcasm in your voice.
This is a nice idea but I perceive difficulties in putting it into practice.
verb
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to become aware of (something) through the senses, esp the sight; recognize or observe
-
(tr; may take a clause as object) to come to comprehend; grasp
Synonym Usage
See notice.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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perceivabilitynoun
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perceivernoun
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perceivingnessnoun
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reperceiveverb (used with object)
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nonperceivingadjective
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perceivableadjective
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self-perceivingadjective
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unperceivingadjective
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perceivablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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perceivesimple
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perceivessimple
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have perceivedperfect
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has perceivedperfect
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am perceivingprogressive
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are perceivingprogressive
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is perceivingprogressive
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have been perceivingperfect progressive
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has been perceivingperfect progressive
Past
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perceivedsimple
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had perceivedperfect
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was perceivingprogressive
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were perceivingprogressive
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had been perceivingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of perceive
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English perceiven, from unattested Anglo-French perceivre, for perçoivre, from Latin percipere “to lay hold of, grasp,” equivalent to per- per- + -cipere, combining form of capere “to take”
Explanation
When we perceive something, we become aware of or notice it. Sometimes we perceive things by using our senses of sight, hearing, and smell. Or we can use our mind to perceive things, which means that we are able to recognize or understand them. We can also perceive a person or thing as having certain qualities: Do you perceive yourself as a good student? The Latin root percipere means "to receive, understand," from the prefix per- "thoroughly" plus capere "to seize, take."
Vocabulary lists containing perceive
List 1
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Metamorphosis
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Academic Vocabulary: Core Tier 2 Words, List 9
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Their goal was to explore a long-standing mystery: how did the dodo perceive and interact with the world around it?
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
He declined to say how China or North Korea may perceive the mass exercise featuring more than 500 maritime events and 2,400 air missions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
The way Americans perceive socialism is apparently undergoing such a transition.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
Sometimes what we perceive as micromanagement is just workplace culture.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
Then we were lodged within gray, the smoke thick around us, and we coughed and slapped at our eyes, scarcely able to perceive our own limbs; with the heat of the flames all about us.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Tinnitus, often described as ringing in the ears, occurs when someone perceives a sound inside the ear or head even though no external source is producing it.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
The judge said Winehouse was "understandably sensitive about anyone who he perceives as exploiting Amy's memory... but also, in my judgement, he is equally sensitive about ensuring that the family continue to benefit financially."
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026
Now, though, he perceives bitcoin is “potentially on the verge of breaking out of this range to the upside and breaking the bear trend.”
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 16, 2026
"China perceives Spain as relatively friendly, less confrontational toward China than other countries and likely more independent from Washington. This allows for more autonomous decision-making," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Apr. 12, 2026
Another aspect of the auditory cortex’s function is how it groups or perceives musical information.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Yet for KeyBanc Capital Markets these two perceived issues create “an opportunity for investors who appreciate the revenue and EPS implications of doubling capacity into the strongest catalyst the industry has likely ever seen.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
However, it also means having to address thorny issues with the media, which currently include a perceived lack of signings.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
"Marine heatwaves are no longer just recognized as an environmental issue; they are increasingly also perceived as a human health issue," Dr. Falkenberg said.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
A steady, if inconspicuous, presence in California Democratic politics over the years, Becerra is largely perceived as a risk-averse candidate who would continue the status quo if he is elected.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
They might actually improve the perceived quality of the pool of loans and increase the percentage that could be declared triple-A.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
In under half a minute, the state’s theory asserts, Byrd and Roberts went from perceiving a genuine threat and returning fire to pursuing someone who no longer posed a danger.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
"As adults, we overthink: 'How am I coming across? How's everyone perceiving me?'," she says.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2026
But the more we do that, the more things there are for us to pay attention to and the more worries we have about how other people are perceiving us.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2026
"Pain is an extremely efficient means for perceiving damage to the body and to indicate the associated threat to its continued life. This often triggers a survival response, such as fleeing or freezing."
From Science Daily ● Dec. 15, 2025
Men turned back to their drink and their talk, perceiving that their captain had had some jest or other with the little guests, and that it was over.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
