detect
Usage
What are other ways to say detect?
To detect implies becoming aware of something that had been obscure, secret, or concealed: to detect a flaw in reasoning. To ascertain is to verify facts by inquiry or analysis: to ascertain the truth about an event. To learn is to add to one's knowledge or information: to learn a language. The verb discover is used with objective clauses as a synonym of learn in order to suggest that the new information acquired is surprising to the learner: I discovered that she had been married before.
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.
On average, the level of sound they could detect improved from 106 decibels to 52.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
The U.S. company said it would strengthen a tie-up with the country’s cybersecurity office and help the government and businesses detect cyberattacks early or preempt them.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
"It's always hard to be 100 percent, but we can detect more than 90 percent of what's happening in real time."
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
Northern Ireland is also the only UK region yet to lower the level at which traces of blood in a home screening test trigger further investigation to detect more bowel cancers early.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
Swaim felt for a pulse but couldn't detect one.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
