detect
verb (used with object)
to discover or catch (a person) in the performance of some act.
have detected
-
present perfectof detect.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
Scientists have detected unusual magnetic signatures in iron-rich minerals in the southern hemisphere.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
During the adoption process they had submitted to numerous checks from the Singaporean government which, they said, should have detected the trafficking.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
“This year, we have detected 38 positive mosquito samples, a significant increase in activity compared to recent years.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Early readings from the spacecraft's magnetometers may have detected Mars' bow shock, the region where the solar wind interacts with the planet's magnetic environment.
From Science Daily ● May 26, 2026
Harry had no idea what Dumbledore meant; this patch of dark bank was exactly like every other bit as far as he could tell, but Dumbledore seemed to have detected something special about it.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
