discern

verb

dis·​cern di-ˈsərn  -ˈzərn 

discerned; discerning; discerns

transitive verb

1

a

: to detect with the eyes

discerned a figure approaching through the fog

b

: to detect with senses other than vision

discerned a strange odor

2

: to recognize or identify as separate and distinct : discriminate

discern right from wrong

3

: to come to know or recognize mentally

unable to discern his motives

intransitive verb

: to see or understand the difference

discerner noun

Synonyms

• behold
• catch
• descry
• distinguish
• espy
• eye
• look (at)
• note
• notice
• observe
• perceive
• regard
• remark
• see
• sight
• spot
• spy
• view
• witness

Examples of discern in a Sentence

A careful analysis of the "Nutrition Facts" panels might provide some guidance, but you would have to do a lot of math before you could discern the best choice. —David L. Katz, O, The Oprah Magazine, August 2008

The ability to discern value at a glimpse, to sift the useful out of the rejected with as little expenditure of energy as possible, is the great talent of the scavenger. —Matthew Power, Harper's, December 2006

Astronomers are delighted to have found 19 galaxies that appear to be bent out of shape. The distorted images are cosmic mirages, arcs or rings of light created when the gravity of a massive foreground object bends and magnifies the light from a galaxy lying behind it. Albert Einstein predicted the effect … in 1936, but telescopes at the time weren't powerful enough to discern it. —R. Cowen, Science News, 21 Jan. 2006

Despite the layers of ironic hesitation, the reader soon discerns that the emotions informing the book are raw and, more importantly, authentic. —Publishers Weekly, 13 Dec. 1999

The reasons behind this sudden change are difficult to discern.

barely able to discern the garden gate through the mist

Recent Examples on the Web

Enter Patricia Voto, the designer-cum-bridal-whisperer behind One/Of whose atelier on East 70th Street has quietly become the place for discerning brides. —Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2024

But a deluge of data can make real health concerns difficult to discern. —Kristen V. Brown, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2024

Its leadership structure was hard to discern, its finances opaque. —CBS News, 16 Dec. 2024

Based on that comment, the generative AI could discern that the user intends to write a message, which is a suitable circumstance for invoking the second-view capability. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English discernen "to discriminate, perceive rationally, see," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French discerner, borrowed from Latin discernere "to separate, divide off, distinguish," from dis- dis- + cernere "to sift, discern, decide, determine" — more at certain entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

discern

verb

dis·​cern dis-ˈərn  diz- 

1

: to detect with the eyes : distinguish

discern an airplane in the clouds

2

: to come to know, recognize, or understand

discern the basic issue

discern right from wrong

discernible

-ˈər-nə-bəl

adjective

discernibly

-blē 

adverb