perceive

verb

pər-ˈsēv How to pronounce perceive (audio)
Definition of perceivenext
1
as in to feel
to have a vague awareness of I thought I perceived a problem, but I wasn't sure

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes perceived that it was going to be a nice day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to understand
to have a clear idea of I perceive your point, but I still disagree

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 perceive Flores is accused of participating in decisions to torture prisoners and helping oversee a network of officials responsible for detaining and interrogating people perceived as threats to the government. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 That said, unfortunately, from time to time, there are investment deals with companies that may be perceived as financial strategies. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 Perceiving and being perceived are folded into the pleasure of this scene. — Amanda Lee Koe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Previous rounds of violence have centered around real or perceived changes to the site’s delicate balance. — Ilan Ben Zion, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for perceive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perceive
  1. feel
  2. notice
  3. understand
  4. sense
  5. see
  6. know
  7. smell
  8. spot
Verb
  • The music on Uncle feels innate, as if Funkhouser had dug these songs out from deep within the crawlspace in his brain.
    — Jeff Yerger, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Few people feel affection for insurance companies or hospital bureaucracies that often function less as providers of care than as barriers to it.
    — Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of feel
Verb
  • Be intentional about noticing autumn and Halloween displays on lawns and porches, which seem as popular as ever this year.
    — Dana Kelley, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • They are focused on inspecting what is known as the Taraia Object, a visual anomaly that has been visible in aerial photos dating back to 1938 but was first noticed in satellite imagery in 2020.
    — Lana Zak, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of notice
Verb
  • But the really impactful part is understanding the function and developing it into a tool.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The committee isn’t fully aware of the muddy bog in which Taverner is currently sinking, but Lamb is starting to understand the shape of it.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of understand
Verb
  • The findings open up new research avenues in quantum technologies such as computing and sensing.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Ultimately the research could help illuminate how plants sense and interact with the world around them.
    — Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of sense
Verb
  • Protesters, many of whom have been seen carrying Palestinian flags, have set fire to historic buildings and attacked civilians.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 20 Oct. 2026
  • American Transmission Company, a utility firm that develops and manages high-voltage transmission lines, has seen rapid growth, in part thanks to the AI and data center buildout.
    — Ted Kitterman, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of see
Verb
  • Depending on the machine and settings, that material ends up in a purge tower built alongside the print, or in a collection of little plastic doll's-house-looking spaghetti balls, affectionately known as printer poop.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Cringing can therefore manifest as the abashment of not knowing (yet; possibly ever) how to read something.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • At some point, even Pelley and Chayka are going to have to wake up and smell the coffee.
    — James Mirtle, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The district attorney’s office said the child was reported to smell like cat urine and appeared seriously underweight and pale.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of smell
Verb
  • Earlier this year, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos was spotted breaking bread with HBO chief content officer Casey Bloys.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Krantz said the suspect, a male city resident who has not yet been publicly identified, was spotted entering the school by a community member, who eventually pursued him into the school and shot him.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of spot

Browse Nearby Words

perceivable
perceive
perceived
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Cite this Entry

“Perceive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perceive. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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