detect
verb (used with object)
to discover or catch (a person) in the performance of some act.
was detecting
-
past progressiveof detect.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Even with that limitation, the analysis produced a reassuring sign that the approach was detecting genuine patterns.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
"I was detecting in a particular field and looking around, there was pottery lying around - then I started to find Roman coins," says Mr Derby.
From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2025
She was detecting something that had never been seen before: a special kind of neutron star called a pulsar, which flashes beams of radiation at regular intervals as it spins, like a lighthouse.
From Scientific American ● Jul. 18, 2023
China CDC contact tracing reports obtained by the AP show that a nearby province was detecting dozens of COVID-19 cases by early March, all from Shanghai.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 20, 2023
His sole claim to fame during a lackluster tenure on the city council was detecting a bookkeeping error that would have cost the city a million dollars.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
