discerning

[dih-sur-ning, -zur-]

adjective

1. showing good or outstanding judgment and understanding.

   a discerning critic of French poetry.

   Synonyms: discriminating, sharp, keen, perceptive

discerning

/ dɪˈsɜːnɪŋ /

adjective

1. having or showing good taste or judgment; discriminating

Other Word Forms

• discerningly adverb
• nondiscerning adjective
• undiscerning adjective
• undiscerningly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of discerning¹

First recorded in 1600–10; discern + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Early in her professional career, Byrne just wanted to work and wasn’t particularly discerning about the roles she would take, unlike some of her peers.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In a statement, Caltech President Thomas Rosenbaum said Baltimore’s “contributions as a virologist, discerning fundamental mechanisms and applying those insights to immunology, to cancer, to AIDS, have transformed biology and medicine.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Nearby vineyard owners worried the burn would make their world-class grapes too smoky for discerning wine lovers.

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Turning anime into live action is a formidable creative challenge and a balancing act: on the one hand is a discerning fandom and on the other hand, an irresistible opportunity to find new audiences.

Read more on BBC

The Tiffany designation is associated with high-quality, discerning, bold programming choices.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• astute 
• insightful 
• knowledgeable 
• penetrating 
• perceptive 
• piercing 

When To Use

What does discerning mean?

Discerning is an adjective that means able to discern—recognize small details, accurately tell the difference between similar things, and make intelligent judgements by using such observations.Discerning is also the continuous (-ing) form of the verb discern. As an adjective, it can be used to describe someone who has the ability to discern or to describe such an ability.The ability to do this or the process of doing it is called discernment, as in Only through careful discernment can you tell a genuine artifact from the work of a counterfeiter. Things that can be identified or distinguished in such a way can be described as discernible.A close synonym of discerning is discriminating (not in the prejudicial sense).Example: Most chefs have a very discerning sense of taste.