discern
verb (used with object)
to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend.
discerns
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present tense formof discern (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
She discerns in the subject’s eyes a “warning.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
They follow her around the bend and behind the castle, where we see a kitchen set up, and everyone immediately discerns there will be a cook-off.
From Salon ● Apr. 14, 2023
Through his meditations on William Blake’s “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell,” Nemo discerns that liberation can only be attained through creation.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 16, 2023
“It says a lot about how Washington discerns its interests in the Pacific,” said Mr. Fontaine, “that there was no hand-wringing about angering the French.”
From New York Times ● Sep. 17, 2021
There are three kinds of intelligence: one understands on its own; the second discerns what others understand; and the third neither understands by itself nor through others.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
