discern
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend.
They discerned a sail on the horizon.
-
to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinct or different; discriminate.
He is incapable of discerning right from wrong.
- Synonyms:
- judge, differentiate
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(tr) to recognize or perceive clearly
-
to recognize or perceive (differences)
Usage
What does discern mean? Discern means to recognize small details, accurately tell the difference between similar things, and make intelligent judgements by using such observations. 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. The adjective discerning can be used to describe someone who has the ability to discern or to describe such an ability, as in Most chefs have a very discerning palate. A close synonym is discriminating. The verb discriminate can be used to mean the same thing as discern (discriminate also commonly means to treat in a prejudicial way, which is not one of the senses of discern). Example: These two scents may smell identical to the average person, but an experienced perfumer can discern the difference between them.
Related Words
See notice.
Other Word Forms
- discerner noun
- prediscern verb (used with object)
- undiscerned adjective
Etymology
Origin of discern
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin discernere “to separate,” from dis- dis- 1 + cernere “to decide, separate, sift”
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.
Clement’s followers look to his decades-old utterances to discern what might happen in 2026 as well as 2027.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
These are two women who know who they are from the jump, and the audience never spends a single moment trying to discern that, either.
From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026
A major reason is that the market is trying to discern which companies will emerge as long-term AI winners and which will ultimately see the technology devastate their profits.
From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026
As for whether it’s possible to read conclusions about the economy in the Dow Industrial figures, it’s hard to discern a clear pattern.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026
Behind, they could just discern great, powerful paws and a shaggy black body.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
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.
