discover
Americanverb (used with object)
-
discovers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
discovered,
past participle, past
-
discovering
present participle
-
to see, get knowledge of, learn of, find, or find out; gain sight or knowledge of (something previously unseen or unknown).
to discover America;
to discover electricity.
-
to notice or realize.
I discovered I didn't have my credit card with me when I went to pay my bill.
-
Archaic. to make known; reveal; disclose.
verb
-
to be the first to find or find out about
Fleming discovered penicillin
-
to learn about or encounter for the first time; realize
she discovered the pleasures of wine
-
to find after study or search
I discovered a leak in the tank
-
to reveal or make known
Usage
What are other ways to say discover? To discover something is to see, get knowledge of, or find it. How does discover differ from learn, ascertain, and detect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Synonym Usage
Discover, invent, originate suggest bringing to light something previously unknown. To discover may be to find something that had previously existed but had hitherto been unknown: to discover a new electricity; it may also refer to devising a new use for something already known: to discover how to make synthetic rubber. To invent is to make or create something new, especially something ingeniously devised to perform mechanical operations: to invent a device for detecting radioactivity. To originate is to begin something new, especially new ideas, methods, etc.: to originate a political movement, the use of assembly-line techniques.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
discoverernoun
-
prediscoververb (used with object)
-
rediscoververb (used with object)
-
discoverableadjective
-
nondiscoverableadjective
-
undiscoverableadjective
-
undiscoveredadjective
-
discoverablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
discoversimple
-
discoverssimple
-
have discoveredperfect
-
has discoveredperfect
-
am discoveringprogressive
-
are discoveringprogressive
-
is discoveringprogressive
-
have been discoveringperfect progressive
-
has been discoveringperfect progressive
Past
-
discoveredsimple
-
had discoveredperfect
-
was discoveringprogressive
-
were discoveringprogressive
-
had been discoveringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of discover
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English discouere(n), descuvere(n), from Anglo-French discoverir, descovrir, from Old French descovrir, descuvrir, from Late Latin discooperīre “to disclose, expose”; see origin at dis- 1, cover
Explanation
If you discover something, you find it unexpectedly, like when you discover your favorite childhood stuffed animal in a box of old junk. When you discover something, it can be by surprise or the result of a search. You might discover the fact that your dad used to travel with the circus as a trapeze artist or discover a band none of your friends ever heard of. Scientists often discover new substances, stars, or organisms. The Latin root discooperire, "uncover," combines the prefix dis-, or "opposite of," with cooperire, "to cover up."
Vocabulary lists containing discover
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Beowulf vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Return to Titanic" and "Talking with Robert Ballard"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
That challenging struggle to write a first draft is how you discover who you are as an artist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Within a few years, Edwin Hubble would discover that the universe is expanding.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026
This would continue to provide companies strong financial incentives to discover new, innovative therapies, while also ensuring that pricing is tied to objectively measurable value.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
But if we are waiting to discover them, where we look—and who looks—may matter most.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
And when I go to work the next day, my single-browed friend trailing faithfully behind me, I discover that I am being deported.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
Plus, Gen Z discovers the premium awards credit card, and Costco will soon sell Medicare plans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
In addition to “Hexed,” a magical coming-of-age adventure about a young girl named Billie who discovers she’s a witch that will hit theaters Nov. 25, Disney Animation announced “Clay” for 2028.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Prime Minister Andy Burnham discovers there’s a long list of things a new leader can’t do politically.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
If a future astrobiology mission discovers life in Venus' clouds, one possible explanation is that it originally came from Earth.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026
At midmorning, he discovers the heart of the column, perhaps six miles from High Bridge.
From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly
It is the latest set of human remains discovered at Lake Mead in recent years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Palace officials say they only discovered the plans on Sunday and that King Charles is happy he will have the chance to see more of the Sussex family in a private capacity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
But there is still a lot to be discovered.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
They discovered that the brain organoids continued to change and mature over the years, despite never having been inside an embryo, let alone a body.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
She grabbed something from the end of the bed and tossed it to me, and I discovered that they were sheets.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
From “Heated Rivalry” to “Obsession,” this has been a phenomenal year for discovering fresh faces.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
"Animals have probably been feeding on nature's original bioplastic for hundreds of millions of years - we're only discovering it now."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
Many families are only just discovering the extent of damage to their homes as West Midlands Fire Service allowed some behind the cordon after three days.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Some bars, Infante noted, are already experimenting with lower-priced cocktails and expanded happy hours after discovering there may simply be a ceiling to what customers will pay for a drink.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
This is the biggest failure in Greek mathematics, and it is the only thing that kept them from discovering calculus.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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.
