SPOTTING Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

spotting 1 of 2

noun

as in discovery

the act or process of sighting or learning the existence of something for the first time the spotting of a new bird is always a thrill for an avid bird-watcher

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spotting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of spot

as in sprinkling

to mark with small spots especially unevenly to give the effect of sunlight on water, the artist spotted the lake in his painting with flecks of gold paint

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in noticing

to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes I spotted both of them as they tried to sneak out the back door

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in spraying

to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on the TV networks had spotted reporters all over the state for the election

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 spotting

Noun

Kesha’s raccoon spotting comes shortly after a wild raccoon with a spine deformity, nicknamed Jimothy, recently went viral after a Seattle resident’s video gained over 5 million views online. — Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026 Set along the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the city features a walkable historic downtown, scenic Harborwalk, quaint cafés and restaurants, and easy access to kayaking, boating, fishing, and wildlife spotting. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026 Overhead irrigation is discouraged to prevent leaf disease and spotting. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 July 2026 Here's a guide to the best beaches for surfing, swimming, and penguin-spotting. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 June 2026 Millions of drones are now being produced annually by both Ukraine and Russia, transforming reconnaissance, logistics, artillery spotting, and strike missions. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 16 June 2026 While drones have long played an integral role in Russian operations, they have traditionally been used for artillery spotting and precision-strike missions. — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 There's also horseback riding, turtle spotting, and birdwatching for anyone in the group who'd rather skip the history lesson. — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 12 June 2026 The restaurant was considered an upscale place for special occasions such as first dates, engagements and wedding receptions and was popular for celebrity spotting. — Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026

Verb

Authorities in Indiana are warning residents to be vigilant after a person reported spotting a several-hundred-pound lioness and a large cub roaming in one central county. — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Your best shot at spotting a rocket launch from Jacksonville is to get as close to the beach as possible or get away from trees to get a clear view of the sky and look due south. — Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 28 Aug. 2026 Mythos is adept at spotting cyber vulnerabilities, which showed what Kurtz had been saying all along that companies can't deploy AI and then get AI to protect their systems. — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 Sunset is an especially good time to hit the water, when dolphin-spotting cruises—several companies, including Barrier Island Eco Tours, offer these excursions—pair wildlife watching with golden-hour views. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026 Footage obtained by Airline Videos, a website that posts plane-spotting footage, shows a DHL jetliner touching down on the runway and, seconds later, white smoke emitting from the aircraft’s rear tires. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Bright whites, turquoise blues, and beachy wood tones almost felt Balearic in aesthetic, and a glass window on the floor by the bed made spotting marine life each morning a joy. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026 Both come down to spotting opportunities where others see problems, building resilience, staying curious, and taking action without being asked to. — Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 In his short time in the big time, Hill’s been able to weed out the grifters and users, spotting the BS a mile away. — Katherine Turman, SPIN, 21 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotting

Noun

The story comes about a year after a New Orleans couple made a similarly mysterious discovery in their backyard.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
But this discovery has also presented Miller-Idriss and PERIL with an intriguing approach to preventing multiple forms of violence.

— Odette Yousef, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of discovery

Verb

Researchers identified the activity in May after noticing unusual edits and messages appearing across the site.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
So far, demolition has revolved around the lower sections of the structures, but soon, daily commuters will likely begin noticing the steady changes.

— Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of noticing

Noun

Graf also reiterated that his ruling was not a definitive finding of guilt, which will have to be determined by a jury during a future trial.

— Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2026
Some analysts have taken these findings as confirmation that the golden era of American soft power is over and China is ascendant.

— Adam Y. Liu, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of finding

Verb

Carla Guilhem, meanwhile, chose to bring a bit more nature into the space, pairing swirling patterns and bold marbles with blue abstract bird dotting the wallpaper, palm trees and jungle cats on pillows, and more.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
Deficits in Arizona will be as common as saguaros dotting the landscape.

— Jess Bryant, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of dotting

Verb

Lisa is seeing what this experience could be for her, which only emphasized just how bad her current situation on RHOSLC is.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Domagal-Goldman compared Roman’s capabilities to capturing an all-encompassing view of a forest as well as seeing sharp details of its trees, like leaves and birds, all at the same time.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of seeing

Noun

Anker says this is an active-deterrence camera with an auto-tracking light, 180-degree dual-radar detection, and 4K resolution.

— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 3 Sep. 2026
This is a historically fragmented industry, with different vendors for different kinds of services, such as firewall, threat detection, and identity.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of detection

Browse Nearby Words

spottily

spotting

spotty

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Spotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotting. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of spotting

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes