Synonyms for perceive
Most common
Definitions
- v. 1
To become aware of, through the physical senses, to see; to understand.
Related words
- Word family
- perceivable perceiver perception percept perceptive
- Is a kind of
- detect
Forms
- Past participle
- perceived
e.g. perceived → comprehended, discerned, observed, recognized…
Choose the right word
We perceive what is presented through the senses.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- observe Catholics could not openly observe their religion.
- distinguish We cannot distinguish her from her younger sister.
- comprehend This theory is too difficult for me to comprehend.
- discern It is hard to discern between the true and the false.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| perceive | rising | |
| observe | steady | |
| distinguish | steady | |
| comprehend | rising | |
| discern | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- see1
- 4 letters
- know1, take1, find1, feel1, note1
- 5 letters
- sense1, touch1, taste1
- 6 letters
- notice2, behold2
- 7 letters
- observe2, discern2, percept2
- 8 letters
- discover3, conceive2
- 9 letters
- recognize3, recognise3, apprehend3
- 10 letters
- understand3, comprehend3
- 11 letters
- distinguish3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (notice2 = 2 syllables).