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dis·cern
 discern
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- pronunciation:
- dih
suhrn
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb)
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
discerns, discerning, discerned |
| definition 1: |
to perceive, make out, or detect.
When the smoke cleared a little, he discerned a figure slumped in a chair.She listened carefully and was able to discern that the man had a slight Swedish accent.- synonyms:
- descry, detect, distinguish, perceive
- similar words:
- ascertain, behold, espy, notice, observe, recognize, see, sight, spot
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| definition 2: |
to distinguish or discriminate.
He discerned some sympathizers in the hostile crowd.- synonyms:
- discriminate, distinguish, pick out
- similar words:
- detect, determine, smell, tell
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| related words: |
appreciate, comprehend, discover, identify, judge, penetrate, perceive, realize, see, sense, spot |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition: |
to recognize differences; discriminate.
- synonyms:
- differentiate, discriminate, distinguish
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| related words: |
judge |
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| derivation: |
discerner (n.) |
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