discover
Americanverb (used with object)
-
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.
Related Words
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
- discoverable adjective
- discoverably adverb
- discoverer noun
- nondiscoverable adjective
- prediscover verb (used with object)
- rediscover verb (used with object)
- undiscoverable adjective
- undiscovered adjective
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”; dis- 1, cover
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.
"Great coaching is not about enforcing one template, it's more about guiding an athlete to discover how their own body produces speed," says Dr. Hicks.
From Science Daily • Apr. 8, 2026
I once ordered it at a chain restaurant that shall remain diplomatically unnamed, only to discover that it was functionally identical to the toddler’s mac and cheese at our table.
From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026
She was astonished to discover that a quarter of her corporate clients had been infected with the Kimwolf software.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
“Having a native garden brings a unique level of joy because you discover you’re doing something for the native wildlife that no other type of garden can do,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Instead, he sought to discover any trap or pitfall lurking in his “opponent’s” position and respond accordingly.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
