perceive
Americanverb (used with object)
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perceives,
present (3rd person singular)
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perceived,
past participle, past
-
perceiving
present participle
-
to become aware of, know, or identify by means of the senses.
I perceived an object looming through the mist.
- Synonyms:
- distinguish, descry, observe, discover, note
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to recognize, discern, envision, or understand: This is a nice idea but I perceive difficulties in putting it into practice.
I perceive a note of sarcasm in your voice.
This is a nice idea but I perceive difficulties in putting it into practice.
verb
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to become aware of (something) through the senses, esp the sight; recognize or observe
-
(tr; may take a clause as object) to come to comprehend; grasp
Synonym Usage
See notice.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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perceivabilitynoun
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perceivernoun
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perceivingnessnoun
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reperceiveverb (used with object)
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nonperceivingadjective
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perceivableadjective
-
self-perceivingadjective
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unperceivingadjective
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perceivablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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perceivesimple
-
perceivessimple
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have perceivedperfect
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has perceivedperfect
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am perceivingprogressive
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are perceivingprogressive
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is perceivingprogressive
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have been perceivingperfect progressive
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has been perceivingperfect progressive
Past
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perceivedsimple
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had perceivedperfect
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was perceivingprogressive
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were perceivingprogressive
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had been perceivingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of perceive
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English perceiven, from unattested Anglo-French perceivre, for perçoivre, from Latin percipere “to lay hold of, grasp,” equivalent to per- per- + -cipere, combining form of capere “to take”
Explanation
When we perceive something, we become aware of or notice it. Sometimes we perceive things by using our senses of sight, hearing, and smell. Or we can use our mind to perceive things, which means that we are able to recognize or understand them. We can also perceive a person or thing as having certain qualities: Do you perceive yourself as a good student? The Latin root percipere means "to receive, understand," from the prefix per- "thoroughly" plus capere "to seize, take."
Vocabulary lists containing perceive
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Metamorphosis
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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.
See Examples For:
“The way I perceive and think about these issues in our current social context colors my reading and recounting of history.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
This trouble you perceive is not merely: “Now she’s raised our kids, it’s time for her to go back to work.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
While others with hearing disorders can perceive certain low-frequency vibrations as sound, for Pride almost everything is completely inaudible without powerful hearing aids.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
First we perceive something, then we think about it and make a choice, and finally we act.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026
One need only place beside them in imagination any Greek statue of a god, so normal and natural with all its beauty, to perceive what a new idea had come into the world.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
An additional vulnerability Panigirtzoglou perceives is the assets under management of leveraged memory ETFs, relative to the market capitalization of the underlying stocks.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
Both Cruise and Pitt have a death grip on their A-List prestige, hyper-aware of how much the world perceives and enjoys their work.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026
Being among the bodies in motion, a boutique is perhaps the last place your mind perceives you to be, but the clothes remain the quiet constant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
A thermostat or a motion-activated switch has no consciousness, and so merely senses rather than perceives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
She loves that she thinks she’s in control of my involvement with Jeremy, and she’ll actually have it out with Lauren if she perceives interference.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Mikael Corre, Vatican correspondent for France's La Croix newspaper, told AFP the way Leo is perceived has shifted.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
They become expensive when borrowers are perceived to be at increased risk of defaulting.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
It can reduce soreness and improve perceived recovery after exercise.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
A similar feeling must haunt the musicians of the Berlin Philharmonic, who are widely perceived, collectively, as the world’s greatest symphony orchestra.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
The complex workings of living beings can be perceived in terms of these layers: physics enabling chemistry, and chemistry enabling physiology.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
"Since dietary decisions are strongly influenced by reward assessment and physical state, targeted breath regulation could also play a role in consciously perceiving and more effectively managing eating behavior," Park summarizes for future research activities.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 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
The consultation is looking into how this would be determined, and is considering factors such as people living together, sharing finances and others perceiving them as a couple.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Companies expressed more optimism about an end to the Middle East conflict, perceiving less business uncertainty.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
“My love, Ophelia, what ails you this fine day?” asked Hamlet, perceiving my troubled mood.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
