detects

verb

present tense third-person singular of detect
as in finds
to come upon after searching, study, or effort I can detect just a hint of lemon in the soup

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of detects Once a finger detects the branch, the system uses the contact information to determine how the drone is positioned relative to the target. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 When a patient comes in with classic UTI symptoms, the first thing most clinicians order is a screening test called a urinalysis, which detects the presence of inflammation — not bacteria. — Meghan Rabbitt, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026 Lightning had struck between the town and the Clear Space Force Station, a radar installation that detects ballistic missiles. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 The printer also has several features, including self-reset, which automatically detects and resolves connectivity issues, as well as robust security to protect the printer from attacks. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 27 Aug. 2026 When a Ukrainian pickup truck carrying soldiers and equipment drives past, the drone detects it acoustically, takes off, and pursues it. — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 When the system detects a violation, Roblox can display a warning explaining which policy may have been broken. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026 If the system detects unusual activity, the person making the searches could be locked out while the activity is reviewed. — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Aug. 2026 When the system detects abnormal behavior, the user would be locked out pending an internal review, the company said in a description of the changes provided ahead of Thursday’s announcement. — Sarah Rankin, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detects
  1. finds
  2. discovers
  3. learns
  4. locates
Verb
  • His Samoyed hops up and finds a spot between the athlete’s legs and the sofa’s back pillows.
    — Nick Remsen, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Boscagli finds Pascal Gross, who feeds the ball into the feet of Wieffer, who can then pass to Diego Gomez.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of finds
Verb
  • But on an ordinary mission, Hawks discovers a bizarre magic plague, a secret plan hatched by the Separatist army, and a contract with Republic intelligence to take on jobs the army can’t do.
    — Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The most tender moments come later when Kevin discovers the reason why Coyote wanted his day in court.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of discovers
Verb
  • From the moment Billie learns about Sophie-Rose, the teenager who inherited her legendary fake ID after it was already passed down to multiple other Gen-Z blondes, she’s obsessed.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • During training, one neural network compares the robot’s movements with the insect demonstrations, while another learns a reward structure that encourages behavior similar to the biological example.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of learns
Verb
  • If most people tend to think of the art as the visual or sonic manifestation one encounters, Protocol Art locates the art not in its manifestations but in the work that generates them.
    — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The medical model locates disability inside the individual, a deficit to be cured, corrected or endured until the person can function in a world built without them.
    — Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of locates

Browse Nearby Words

detectors
detects
détente
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detects. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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