discern

[US]/dɪˈsɜːn/
[UK]/dɪˈsɜːrn/
Frequency: Very High

Translation

vt. recognize; understand;
vi. distinguish.

Phrases & Collocations

discern the truth

difficult to discern

clearly discernable

easily discerned

discern subtle differences

discern the meaning

discern the intentions

Example Sentences

discern the road in the dark

the discerning few; the fortunate few.

she could faintly discern the shape of a skull.

the brasserie attracts discerning customers.

The man couldn't discern between right and wrong.

I can discern no difference between the two policies.

It was so dark outside that he was just able to discern the road in the dark.

I soon discerned that the man was lying.

Some people find it difficult to discern blue from green.

It is often difficult to discern the truth of an event from a newspaper report.

She has a discerning palate.

It was difficult to discern that despite all the abstruse vocabulary the professor was really a charlatan.

discerned some inequities in the criminal justice system.

delicacies that beguile even the most discerning gourmet;

It is easy to discern a connection between high rents and the lack of housing.

Even with a magnifying glass I couldn't discern any imperfections in the porcelain.

Many in the audience lack the background and taste to discern a good performance of the sonata from a bad one.

We discerned the figure of a man clinging to the mast of the wrecked ship.

Real-world Examples

Moreover, a few glimmers of hope can be discerned amid the gloom.

Source: The Economist - Comprehensive

The adult observers were able to reliably discern an assortment of emotions on the babies faces.

Source: CET-6 Listening Past Exam Questions (with Translations)

Furthermore, the computer cannot discern context and intended meaning the same way a human can.

Source: English Major Level 4 Writing Full Score Template

But it was also easy to discern political motives.

Source: The Economist (Summary)

The other half of the dilemma is for the public to discern what they are fighting for.

Source: The story of origin

And here too, we can discern a subtle shift.

Source: Deep Dive into the Movie World (LSOO)

Anything earlier than that, though, was tough to discern.

Source: Science 60 Seconds - Scientific American July 2022 Collection

And together, see how well we do in discerning the babies' emotions.

Source: CET-6 Listening Past Exam Questions (with Translations)

Leaders would have to quickly discern the blip on their radar screens and decide whether to respond in kind.

Source: Time

Analysts said it was hard to discern any impact from those releases.

Source: New York Times

Popular Words

Explore frequently searched vocabulary

Download App to Unlock Full Content

Want to learn vocabulary more efficiently? Download the DictoGo app and enjoy more vocabulary memorization and review features!

Download DictoGo Now