discern
verb (used with object)
to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend.
discerned
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past participleof discern.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof discern.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
discernverb (used with object)to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend.
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.
Mr. Blum’s direction doesn’t allow for enough speaking silences, which might allow the characters’ interior lives to be discerned more clearly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The researchers discerned patterns of meaning in lines, notches, dots, and crosses on objects like mammoth tusks as old as 45,000 years in caves in Germany.
From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026
Myanmar has a rich culture of fortune-telling, and many believe the future can be discerned by mystics.
From Barron's ● Dec. 21, 2025
Many discerned an environmental message in the vibrant green artwork, which appeared on Sunday — St. Patrick’s Day.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 18, 2024
Despite the cloudless sky, the old trees ahead cast deep, dark, cool shadows, and it was a few seconds before Harry’s eyes discerned the building half-hidden amongst the tangle of trunks.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
