discerning

adjective

dis·​cern·​ing di-ˈsər-niŋ How to pronounce discerning (audio)
Synonyms of discerningnext
: showing insight and understanding : discriminating
a discerning critic
discerningly
di-ˈsər-niŋ-lē How to pronounce discerning (audio)
-ˈzər-
adverb

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of discerning in a Sentence

Why should a discerning writer concern himself with such movies as Troy, Alexander, or 300? The answer is that he is uniquely qualified to transmute such trash into illuminating visions of the culturally confused age in which we live. — G. W. Bowersock, New York Review of Books, 6 Nov. 2008
Many of FreshDirect's customers say they are using the service because food shopping in Manhattan can be agonizing. But the question is whether discerning food shoppers will trust it. — Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 6 Nov. 2002
Who reads short stories? one is asked, and I like to think that they are read by men and women in the dentist's office, waiting to be called to the chair; they are read on transcontinental plane trips … they are read by discerning and well-informed men and women who seem to feel that narrative fiction can contribute to our understanding of one another and the sometimes bewildering world around us. — John Cheever, The Story and Its Writer, 1987
She has a discerning eye for good art. a discerning critic of modern art
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Dave Iben has seen it firsthand — and argues that in today’s world, the classic notion of value needs a sharper, more discerning lens. — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025 There are more than 500 coffee options to choose from, so even the most discerning drinkers will be able to enjoy this gift. — Brenda Stolyar, Wired News, 10 May 2024 For the discerning adult collector, there’s elegance in its absurdity. — Nik Miles, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2025 These calibers, which have been part of our Manufacture for more than a decade, have been optimized to meet the expectations of the most discerning watch enthusiasts. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for discerning

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of discern

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of discerning was in 1589

Rhymes for discerning

See All Rhymes for discerning

Browse Nearby Words

discernible
discerning
discernment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Discerning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discerning. Accessed 12 May. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

discerning

adjective
dis·​cern·​ing
: seeing and understanding clearly and intelligently
a discerning critic
discerningly
-ˈər-niŋ-lē How to pronounce discerning (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on discerning

Nglish: Translation of discerning for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 1

Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 3

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 1
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All