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:
In Barcelona, some outdoor workers have begun wearing heat-monitoring bracelets to measure body temperatures, and can opt to stop working if the bracelets detect a risk of overheating.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Experts also say many of the current fires are burning in Canada's vast, remote forests, where fires can be difficult to detect or contain before they become too large.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Astronomers have spent decades carefully cataloging stars near the Sun, yet white dwarfs in systems like these remain difficult to detect.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
It is now more visible than ever thanks to the rise of rapid analysis studies that can detect the signature of global warming on disasters within days, rather than years.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
“I do not detect any damage to my wheels.”
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
The Swift observatory detects some of the most powerful explosions in the Universe - but is at risk of crashing back to Earth in the coming months.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
The team at JPMorgan detects telltale signs of caution and reduced leverage in options and margin trading.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026
Artificial intelligence monitors large areas and detects when a target shifts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
The temperature gauge on the tank detects temperatures only up to 100 degrees.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
Her nose is always slightly elevated, as if she detects a foul smell.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
We don’t know much about the tiny pieces of plastic, called microplastics, that have been detected in the human body, but we know they’re there.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
It did not identify in which states lettuce will be removed from menus, but most of the infections have been reported in Michigan where more than 3,300 cases have been detected.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
TOI-5882, however, appeared to be one of the rare stars in which the evidence could still be detected.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026
Confirmed infections shot past 2,000 this month since it was first detected two months ago, with 754 deaths, according to the Congolese Health Ministry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
“These things happen. A physical problem. It should have been detected sooner. You should not have been inseminated. Who was your first Examiner?” he asked.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
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
"This isn't like detecting a needle in a haystack. It's like detecting a microscopic portion of a needle in a haystack," said Steven Manderach, executive director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Beijing has been closely watching Washington’s moves to regulate Anthropic’s Mythos, which is capable of detecting cybersecurity flaws automatically.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Thursday, South Coast Air Quality Management District monitors and low-cost sensors near the warehouse weren’t detecting elevated levels of particulate pollution from the fire, regulators said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
Their eyesight is very keen, especially in detecting motion.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
Vocabulary lists containing detect
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