Synonyms

detect

American

[dih-tekt] / dɪˈtɛkt /

verb (used with object)

to discover or catch (a person) in the performance of some act.

to detect someone cheating.
to discover the existence of.

to detect the odor of gas.
to find out the true character or activity of.

to detect a spy.
Telecommunications.
1. to rectify alternating signal currents in a radio receiver.
2. to demodulate.

detect British

/ dɪˈtɛkt /

verb

to perceive or notice

to detect a note of sarcasm
to discover the existence or presence of (esp something likely to elude observation)

to detect alcohol in the blood
to extract information from (an electromagnetic wave)
obsolete to reveal or expose (a crime, criminal, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What are other ways to say detect?

To detect is to discover something hidden or unknown. When should you use detect over learn, discover, or ascertain? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of detect

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin dētēctus “discovered,” past participle of dētegere “to uncover, discover,” from dē- de- + tegere “to cover”; see also thatch

Explanation

The verb detect means to discover or observe the existence of something. If you walk into your house and detect the odor of burnt food, you can deduce from the evidence that you will be going out to dinner tonight! The verb detect comes from the Latin word detegere, which literally means "to uncover" — or more figuratively, to discover. You may detect the presence of a new dog in your house if you note a water bowl, chew toys, and grooming tools. Of course, the large woofing beast that greeted you at the door with a wagging tail might be a big clue as well.

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Vocabulary lists containing detect

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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:

detect detects detected detecting

The non-invasive technique uses reflected light to create high-resolution, cross-sectional images of biological tissues, particularly the retina and optic nerve, allowing doctors to detect and monitor disease.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

"We're able to take them off, concentrate them and then detect them and see what's present within them."

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

To detect the predicted energy levels, the researchers developed a technique called many body modulation spectroscopy.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026

Experts say law enforcement agencies are going to have to adapt and partner with companies that can create tools for them to quickly detect AI-manipulated evidence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

This general despair was just one of the reasons they didn’t detect the score of rats until they were almost on top of them.

From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins

"This magnetic particle not only detects latitude by sensing the tilt of Earth's magnetic field but also measures its strength, which can change with longitude," he said.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

RBC also detects that during major drawdowns, confidence and sentiment gauges move sharply with readings like the National Federation of Independent Business and the American Association of Individual Investors dropping sharply.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

Mr. Chabal detects “a good deal of repression” and a discomfort with Jewishness.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

This type of scanning detects changes in blood flow associated with brain activity, allowing researchers to observe which areas and networks are more or less active.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

It also detects that the terrain will be uneven, rocky.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

Those changes can be detected with these imaging techniques, allowing researchers to verify that the crystals recorded the collision itself.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026

"When I detected a little lump on my testicle... I was just ignorant of my own health - I just thought I'll get on with it," he said.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

“Not everything that needs to be detected is detected,” said Matthew Borie, chief intelligence officer and co-founder of Osprey Flight Solutions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

"Learning how signs of ancient life show up in Earth rocks like these Scottish cliffs can help us understand the story of habitability and the potential for biosignatures to be preserved and detected on Mars."

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

He even thought that he had detected sympathetic expressions on the faces of a couple of councilmen, too.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

The deal will include the U.S. rights to FAPI-74, a tracer that is in late-stage clinical trials for detecting cancers that GE HealthCare thinks can be a big seller if it is cleared by regulators.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

This is the most delicate issue, because it involves detecting a threat that may show no obvious warning signs.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

"This suggests that they are detecting the particle motion associated with sound even at considerable distances from the source -- something we have not previously been able to demonstrate in free-swimming sharks."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

Rodriguez has been a vocal advocate for placing the cameras across Texas and has commended their use in Laredo and elsewhere for allowing a new approach to detecting crime.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

Nyla is watching me, and I wonder if she has some secret skill of detecting lies.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023