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.
They relied on a computer algorithm to detect tiny, repeated dips in starlight that occur when a planet passes in front of its star.
From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2026
Watch the video above to find out ways to detect whether your devices are clean or have fallen victim to hackers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
It can help detect cancer at an early stage when there are no symptoms and when treatment is more effective.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 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
Anyone with a receiver and an antenna could detect radio signals, and Morse was widely known by both sides.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
