Discern: meaning, example and synonyms

Discernv. To perceive or recognize something that is not obvious.

Example

Only after comparing hundreds of satellite images could the geologists discern the faint outline of an ancient riverbed beneath the desert sand.

Part of speech: verb
Synonyms: perceive, detect, distinguish, recognize
Antonyms: overlook, miss, confuse
Memory tip: Discern = see through the fog to the real difference.

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Check yourself: Discern in context

Pick the word that best completes each text.

Question 1

In the dim light of the cave, the archaeologists could barely ______ the faded outlines of animals painted on the rock walls thousands of years earlier.

Question 2

Experienced editors can often ______ subtle shifts in tone that reveal where one author's contribution ends and another's begins.

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