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
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”
Explanation
If you can make out, pick out, or distinguish something, you can discern it. This is a word for recognizing and perceiving things. Discerning has to do with being able to see or hear something. In a loud room, it can be hard to discern one person's voice. If there's not much light, you'll have trouble discerning the words on a page well enough to read. If you have sloppy handwriting, then it's hard to discern what you wrote. When you can discern something, you can tell what it is; you can identify it.
Vocabulary lists containing discern
Things Fall Apart
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Romeo and Juliet
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Grade 10, List 5
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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.
This case will hinge on whether your landlord is doing their best to repair the elevator in a timely manner, which I can’t discern from your letter.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
Having said that, it's not hard to discern the King's values.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
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
The Pangram tool has no ability to discern a writer’s work process.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
Elowen looked at Kaede with narrowed eyes, unable to discern exactly what had happened, but certain that something had changed.
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
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.
