discern
Americanverb (used with object)
-
discerns,
present (3rd person singular)
-
discerned,
past participle, past
-
discerning
present participle
-
to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend.
They discerned a sail on the horizon.
-
to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinct or different; discriminate.
He is incapable of discerning right from wrong.
- Synonyms:
- judge, differentiate
verb (used without object)
-
discerns,
present (3rd person singular)
-
discerned,
past participle, past
-
discerning
present participle
verb
-
(tr) to recognize or perceive clearly
-
to recognize or perceive (differences)
Usage
What does discern mean? Discern means to recognize small details, accurately tell the difference between similar things, and make intelligent judgements by using such observations. The ability to do this or the process of doing it is called discernment, as in Only through careful discernment can you tell a genuine artifact from the work of a counterfeiter. Things that can be identified or distinguished in such a way can be described as discernible. The adjective discerning can be used to describe someone who has the ability to discern or to describe such an ability, as in Most chefs have a very discerning palate. A close synonym is discriminating. The verb discriminate can be used to mean the same thing as discern (discriminate also commonly means to treat in a prejudicial way, which is not one of the senses of discern). Example: These two scents may smell identical to the average person, but an experienced perfumer can discern the difference between them.
Synonym Usage
See notice.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
discernsimple
-
discernssimple
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have discernedperfect
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has discernedperfect
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am discerningprogressive
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are discerningprogressive
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is discerningprogressive
-
have been discerningperfect progressive
-
has been discerningperfect progressive
Past
-
discernedsimple
-
had discernedperfect
-
was discerningprogressive
-
were discerningprogressive
-
had been discerningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of discern
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin discernere “to separate,” from dis- dis- 1 + cernere “to decide, separate, sift”
Explanation
If you can make out, pick out, or distinguish something, you can discern it. This is a word for recognizing and perceiving things. Discerning has to do with being able to see or hear something. In a loud room, it can be hard to discern one person's voice. If there's not much light, you'll have trouble discerning the words on a page well enough to read. If you have sloppy handwriting, then it's hard to discern what you wrote. When you can discern something, you can tell what it is; you can identify it.
Vocabulary lists containing discern
Things Fall Apart
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Romeo and Juliet
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Grade 10, List 5
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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:
Keep that in mind as you try to discern when the current bull market is about to finally top out.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
Ads that use AI to enhance visuals don’t necessarily look different from ads that were created in the pre-AI era, which makes it difficult for viewers to discern whether they depict something false.
From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2026
“Traditionally, it isn’t so much about somebody being more moderate,” he said, in part because voters can’t always discern moderation among candidates of an opposing party.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
You don’t need a high school diploma to discern this as a treatment benefit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Her mother’s silhouette—still crawling just ahead of her—was growing fainter, harder to discern amid the smoke and bits of tent falling in around them.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
“No computational system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives itself, or a conscience that discerns good from evil,” he wrote.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026
Here and elsewhere, Ms. Chan brings artists and their audience to life in a few telling lines, and discerns music-sharing motivations in brushstrokes, embroidery and regalia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
The bad news, however, is that the patterns Turchin discerns suggest that the crisis will almost certainly get worse.
From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2023
Through his meditations on William Blake’s “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell,” Nemo discerns that liberation can only be attained through creation.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 16, 2023
There are three kinds of intelligence: one understands on its own; the second discerns what others understand; and the third neither understands by itself nor through others.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
The officers shared the shocking recording this week in hopes of identifying the driver, whose license plate cannot be discerned in the clip.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Mr. Blum’s direction doesn’t allow for enough speaking silences, which might allow the characters’ interior lives to be discerned more clearly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The 1924 Immigration Act limited immigration so drastically, that it can be discerned by a distinct bend in the chart of US annual population growth.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Myanmar has a rich culture of fortune-telling, and many believe the future can be discerned by mystics.
From Barron's ● Dec. 21, 2025
Between the echoing blasts of fireworks, I discerned a flapping sound like the unfurling of membranous wings.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
“Conceived on a grand architectural scale, this landmark residence balances timeless grandeur with thoughtful functionality, creating a true trophy property for the most discerning collector of fine real estate,” the listing adds.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
"You can't get a more discerning audience than a class of teenagers," she said.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
"Neutrons are ideal at discerning light elements including hydrogen and its isotopes, such as deuterium."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
According to Tim Mackey, a professor of global health at the University of California, San Diego, A.I. responses appear to be getting better at summarizing research, weighing credibility, and discerning misinformation.
From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026
“Good morning, sir,” the chaplain replied, discerning wisely that Colonel Korn expected nothing more in the way of a response.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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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.
