perceived

American  

[per-seevd] / pərˈsivd /

adjective

1. taken in by the senses; heard, seen, felt, etc..

   Spontaneous memories are activated by specific signals from the parts of the brain that deal with perceived stimuli like smells, pictures, and words.

2. detected, discerned, or recognized, often without corroboration by others.

   He fails to appreciate that the perceived "backlash" against his post was not an expression of reluctance to accept change, just disagreement with his specific proposal.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of perceive.

Other Word Forms

• perceivedly adverb
• perceivedness noun
• unperceived adjective
• well-perceived adjective

Etymology

Origin of perceived

perceive ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Auriemma forcefully reprimanded Staley for a perceived pregame slight surrounding the pregame handshake.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Asking for help is "taboo" and might be perceived as a "sign of weakness", she adds.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

“We also recognize that this has had an impact beyond just us and never wanted our actions to cause any hurt or be perceived as careless,” Batula and Wilson wrote.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

That has tended to be less effective, though, as much of the music is perceived as corny to those who aren’t living in a Christian fundamentalist environment.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

At that moment Odysseus perceived Athena just beyond the door beckoning to him.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

• anticipated
• recognized