detect
Usage
What are other ways to say detect?
To detect implies becoming aware of something that had been obscure, secret, or concealed: to detect a flaw in reasoning. To ascertain is to verify facts by inquiry or analysis: to ascertain the truth about an event. To learn is to add to one's knowledge or information: to learn a language. The verb discover is used with objective clauses as a synonym of learn in order to suggest that the new information acquired is surprising to the learner: I discovered that she had been married before.
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:
The aircraft manufacturer said the inspections provide opportunities to detect and correct possible cracks before they exceed a critical length.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
The giant space rocks are generally monitored by optical sensors, as they are too far away for Chilbolton's radar dish to detect.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
The instrument could enable scientists to detect tidal disruption events at far greater distances from Earth than previously thought possible.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
She added: “We do expect the case count to increase even if the illnesses occurred a couple of weeks ago, since it takes us a while to detect cases in surveillance.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
I detect a rush within me, an ache, and then a stillness, like the words are being whispered right into my ear.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
These measurements can reflect how the nervous system detects and processes painful signals.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
When the camera detects a violation, it generates an evidence package, consisting of the date, time and location, as well as still images.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Male and female U1s can speak through an artificial intelligence tool programmed by the company to offer soothing words if it detects fatigue or stress, and get to know its user over time.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
The team at JPMorgan detects telltale signs of caution and reduced leverage in options and margin trading.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026
As the brain detects a fall in blood temperature, it automatically protects itself by shutting down the blood supply to the hands and feet.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Iran has a clear geopolitical motive and a history of targeting the water sector, and the fact that the attacks were readily detected makes a stealthier adversary like China less likely, Kaiser said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
During Thursday’s testimony, Aspell said the highest ammonia level detected was 70 parts per million, which is more than 15 times higher than California’s short-term health-based benchmarks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Then on Tuesday, the AISI, the UK government agency which evaluates cutting-edge models, then said it had detected a "security incident" during a routine evaluation.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
A survey carried out in 2025 among Cuban adults detected "extremely severe" levels of depression, anxiety and stress and found a direct relationship between prolonged blackouts and worsening mental health.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
Kehaar detected them by smell and removed them exactly as he might have picked spiders out of a crack.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
I’ve thought about whether AI could eventually play a role of a central banker, detecting bubbles or risk buildup that humans might miss.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
It demonstrates a new strategy for detecting exoplanets in complicated and dusty surroundings.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026
The EU said AliExpress' "overestimated the effectiveness of its system in detecting and removing illegal products".
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
Kalshi, the online prediction marketplace, referred Santos to the Department of Justice after detecting suspicious trades made by him ahead of Trump’s Feb. 24 speech.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
The turning point came in 1940, when the Coast Guard started detecting new code signals coming from unlicensed wildcat stations like the ones the rumrunners had used.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Vocabulary lists containing detect
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
NAEP Test Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 9
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
