perceived
Americanadjective
-
taken in by the senses; heard, seen, felt, etc..
Spontaneous memories are activated by specific signals from the parts of the brain that deal with perceived stimuli like smells, pictures, and words.
-
detected, discerned, or recognized, often without corroboration by others.
He fails to appreciate that the perceived "backlash" against his post was not an expression of reluctance to accept change, just disagreement with his specific proposal.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of perceived
Explanation
If you sense something is true by instinct, but not necessarily by fact, you can describe that sense as perceived. If you suspect that your neighbor's dog might be dangerous, you can say the dog is a perceived threat to your family's safety. The adjective perceived has its Latin roots in per, meaning "thoroughly," and capere, meaning "to grasp." Today it retains a sense of grasping something mentally or sensing it. Oddly, the word has two conflicting meanings: first, something you infer or suspect, rather than detecting with your senses. The second meaning, however, is quite the opposite: something sensed through your actual senses, especially those of sight or hearing.
Vocabulary lists containing perceived
Hello, Universe
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Alex Trebek (1940–2020) Tribute List
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Selection Vocabulary 3, Unit 1
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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.
Mikael Corre, Vatican correspondent for France's La Croix newspaper, told AFP the way Leo is perceived has shifted.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
I’m going to respond the same way to harassment and perceived injustice as I would any other space.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
They become expensive when borrowers are perceived to be at increased risk of defaulting.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
It can reduce soreness and improve perceived recovery after exercise.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
The candle, wasted at last, went out; as it expired, I perceived streaks of grey light edging the window curtains: dawn was then approaching.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
