perceive
Americanverb (used with object)
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perceives,
present (3rd person singular)
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perceived,
past participle, past
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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
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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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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:
Scientists believe this ongoing process plays a central role in how people perceive their surroundings, make decisions, behave, and regulate emotions.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026
Employees got used to walking on eggshells if there was a risk Overdeck and Siegel could perceive a slight, people familiar with the matter said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
A University of Massachusetts Amherst poll last month found that only 22% of Americans perceive the economy in a good or fair state.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 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
If this is all that atoms have, then the qualities that we perceive in the world—colour, taste, smell, sound, texture, temperature—must be by-products of size, shape and movement.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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
But he offered an insight into how he perceives the hurricane of questions he faces.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
And at night, waking out of a dream, overwhelmed and bewitched by the crowding apparitions, a man perceives with alarm how slight is the support, how thin the boundary that divides him from the darkness.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
He said that "too often, working within government or departments can be perceived as either difficult or slow".
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
“Yes, there is higher perceived geopolitical risk,” Ganoza said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
“I’m a little scared of being perceived as a jack of all trades and a master of none,” Sloan admits with a laugh on a recent morning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
The data boosted the perceived odds of another Federal Reserve interest-rate hike later this month, but bond investors didn’t seem to care.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
I perceived that I was sickening from excitement and inanition; neither meat nor drink had passed my lips that day, for I had taken no breakfast.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
That’s not quite how others are perceiving this “symbol.”
From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026
"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
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
Consumers in the survey began perceiving stronger inflation ahead after the Iran war started, Hsu said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
Seating himself at his desk, he pointedly fished about in a drawer until Miss Marsten, perceiving the hint, departed.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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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.
