detect
Americanverb (used with object)
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detects,
present (3rd person singular)
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detected,
past participle, past
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detecting
present participle
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to discover or catch (a person) in the performance of some act.
to detect someone cheating.
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to discover the existence of.
to detect the odor of gas.
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to find out the true character or activity of.
to detect a spy.
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Telecommunications.
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to rectify alternating signal currents in a radio receiver.
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to demodulate.
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verb
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to perceive or notice
to detect a note of sarcasm
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to discover the existence or presence of (esp something likely to elude observation)
to detect alcohol in the blood
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to extract information from (an electromagnetic wave)
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obsolete to reveal or expose (a crime, criminal, etc)
Usage
What are other ways to say detect?
To detect is to discover something hidden or unknown. When should you use detect over learn, discover, or ascertain? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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detectabilitynoun
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detecternoun
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detectibilitynoun
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predetectverb (used with object)
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detectableadjective
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detectibleadjective
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undetectableadjective
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undetectedadjective
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undetectibleadjective
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undetectablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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detectsimple
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detectssimple
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have detectedperfect
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has detectedperfect
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am detectingprogressive
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are detectingprogressive
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is detectingprogressive
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have been detectingperfect progressive
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has been detectingperfect progressive
Past
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detectedsimple
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had detectedperfect
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was detectingprogressive
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were detectingprogressive
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had been detectingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of detect
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin dētēctus “discovered,” past participle of dētegere “to uncover, discover,” from dē- de- + tegere “to cover”; see also thatch
Explanation
The verb detect means to discover or observe the existence of something. If you walk into your house and detect the odor of burnt food, you can deduce from the evidence that you will be going out to dinner tonight! The verb detect comes from the Latin word detegere, which literally means "to uncover" — or more figuratively, to discover. You may detect the presence of a new dog in your house if you note a water bowl, chew toys, and grooming tools. Of course, the large woofing beast that greeted you at the door with a wagging tail might be a big clue as well.
Vocabulary lists containing detect
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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 Su‑35, he noted, is equipped for both air‑to‑air and air‑to‑ground combat, with the ability to detect and neutralize incoming cruise missiles at distances of up to 200 kilometers.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
Another advantage is their ability to detect neutrons, particularly when the crystals are enriched with the lithium-6 isotope.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026
But RSI can detect subtle changes in behavior that may not be so apparent when just watching price movements.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
State leaders say they have used their own resources to shore up gaps left by CISA, such as paying for sensor technology that can detect unusual activity in election networks.
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2026
The answer is that it is partly a matter of where astronomers point their instruments and partly a matter of what their instruments are designed to detect, and partly it’s just Pluto.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Specifically, it amplifies the signals generated when the tongue detects sweet, bitter, and umami flavors.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026
The 82-year-old is the brains behind the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a telescope embedded in a cubic kilometer of Antarctic ice that detects neutrinos -- particles with almost no mass that seldom interact with other matter.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
Belgian physicist Prof Francis Halzen has won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering work on an observatory that detects particles from space, shedding light on the distant universe.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Pilgrim has raised $25 million and has developed a 50-pound device that detects biological threats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Her nose is always slightly elevated, as if she detects a foul smell.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
It has also helped conservationists in Africa, who are seeking to track poachers from above without being detected.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
According to the DRC's figures, 10,060 people have been infected and 4,887 have died since the virus was first detected in May in the vast central African country's deadliest outbreak in its history.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
The breakthrough could lead to new ways to cool microchips, safeguard delicate electronics, and prevent equipment from being detected through its thermal signature.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026
Very recently, Goldman has detected a slight uptick in retail activity, a slight “buy the dip” default reaction to falling stocks, but overall this has not been enough to arrest the correction.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
And if the man detected a wimp, what would he do?
From "Wringer" by Jerry Spinelli
Between the two of them, I wasn’t exactly detecting decisiveness, but I turned out OK.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
This suggested that the hippocampus was responding to meaningful features of language rather than simply detecting that sounds were occurring.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026
"The two-month delay in detecting and reporting the incident to the city is unacceptable."
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
“The two-month delay in detecting and reporting the incident to the city is unacceptable.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Even research men suffer from the handicap of inadequate methods of detecting the beginnings of injury.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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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.
