perceive
verb (used with object)
to become aware of, know, or identify by means of the senses.
perceiving
-
present participleof perceive.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
No damning life event preceded my change in style, though I’d recently stopped dating and found some strange joy in perceiving bangs as another barrier-to-entry to anyone who tried.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
In under half a minute, the state’s theory asserts, Byrd and Roberts went from perceiving a genuine threat and returning fire to pursuing someone who no longer posed a danger.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Finding their conversations therapeutic—and perceiving a dearth of literature on mistakes—they have written “From Mistakes to Meaning.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
"Pain is an extremely efficient means for perceiving damage to the body and to indicate the associated threat to its continued life. This often triggers a survival response, such as fleeing or freezing."
From Science Daily ● Dec. 15, 2025
Single- handedly he turned it from genteel, ignorable after-dinner entertainment into an all-encompassing emotional experience, a way of perceiving life as a mighty struggle, the cry of the soul, the voice of conscience.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
