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

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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

Take out the property’s resident boat Bella from the Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club for a view of the Port Royal mega-mansions and a chance at dolphin spotting. — Harriet Elton, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026 The hoofed Highlanders have been embraced as an unofficial mascot on campus, with Reddit threads dedicated to donkey spotting and burro plushies for sale in the campus store. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 Wilted or leathery leaves are signs of low humidity, while yellow spots on the leaves indicate fungal spotting from too much humidity. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2026 Camping, hiking, wildlife spotting, fishing, birding, and kayaking. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026 This time, however, the spotting has occurred at the same time that China’s new Type 076 amphibious assault ship entered its final sea trials. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026 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

Verb

Numerous women on TikTok also report spotting photos of men on dating apps that appear to be AI-generated. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 Some of these hunters spend hours in hopes of spotting a miniature ceramic smiley face peeking out of a crevice. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026 That extra pause can be the difference between spotting a scam and paying for one. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Game officials made an error in spotting the ball on Oregon's 2-point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter of Saturday's loss to UCLA, the Big Ten announced on Sunday. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 Programmers showed it sorting email, spotting writing mistakes and even playing games. — Wen Shao, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 Slowik was asked if Willis not spotting open receivers has been a problem in general. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 Still, spotting one and checking its stripes remains a favorite fall tradition. — Tricia Goss, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2026 An off-duty KCPD detective and a Clay County sheriff’s deputy immediately jumped into action last week after spotting a Ford F-150 pickup truck engulfed in flames along Interstate 35 — and the whole thing was caught on camera. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spotting

Noun

The discovery, made in the German city of Leipzig, was announced by the Saxony State Office for Archaeology in late September.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
However, the discovery does not mean the same genetic variation determines organ placement in humans.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of discovery

Verb

Huberman occasionally mentions other potential peptide risks, like cancer, sprinkling them into advice on how to take them.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
At Waxwork, the band got to make the vinyl themselves by sprinkling the dust onto the wax and pressing it.

— Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of sprinkling

Verb

On one occasion in November 2023, a neighbor called police to one of the homes on Arlington’s Woodbrook Street after noticing a man had fallen in the backyard and seemed unable to get up.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
That’s a student sitting in a cafeteria or a locker room, noticing a name on a banner or a jersey and deciding on their own that the brand behind it is worth trusting.

— Karl Mawhinney, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of noticing

Verb

Combatting it typically requires spraying synthetic fungicides from large tractors, which is expensive and harmful to farmworkers, soil, and wine quality.

— Matt Alderton, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Yet after spraying the stuff up his nose for just three days, KFF notes the peptide user fell seriously ill.

— Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of spraying

Noun

The findings raise the possibility of developing treatments that expand a patient’s gamma delta T cells outside the body before returning them to fight the cancer.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
Shea’s supervisor confronted her when Shea’s findings in a cold case could not be replicated.

— Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of finding

Verb

Even the role of chief risk officer (CRO), a function where institutional memory and regulatory relationships would seem to argue hardest for continuity, is seeing meaningful outside recruitment.

— Paul Davis, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
For a blueprint, Johnson points to a handful of NBA stars who have mastered the art of seeing the game unfold a step or two ahead of everyone else — Draymond Green, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and, yes, former Spurs great Tim Duncan.

— Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of seeing

Noun

The higher detection frequency is a technical capability, not evidence that the system detects cracks five times earlier or more accurately.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Methanol masers have previously been detected in planet-forming disks around turbulent high-mass protostars, but COMPASS’ observations are the first detection of them around calmer lower-mass protostars.

— Keith Cooper, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of detection

Browse Nearby Words

spottily

spotting

spotty

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Style

“Spotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spotting. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of spotting

noun

verb

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