detected; detecting; detects
1
: to discover the true character of
detecting drug smugglers
2
: to discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
detect alcohol in the blood
Do I detect a note of sarcasm in your voice?
3
: to work as a detective
Synonyms
Examples of detect in a Sentence
The test is used to detect the presence of alcohol in the blood.
This type of cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages.
Recent Examples on the Web
Wilson was later arrested over Stevens’ death in Michigan in July 2024, after a license plate camera detected her vehicle, according to a press release from the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office previously obtained by PEOPLE.
—
Escher Walcott, People.com, 18 Jan. 2025
Breaks are usually detected when there is water on a street.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
Oil has been detected on the shores of Sevastopol, approximately 155 miles from the Kerch Strait and 96,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil have been removed by officials and volunteers from the shoreline of Russia's Krasnodar region.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Vistra Energy personnel called for assistance from the North Monterey County Fire District after a fire was detected in the 300-MW Phase I energy storage facility.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for detect 
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Escher Walcott, People.com, 18 Jan. 2025
Breaks are usually detected when there is water on a street.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
Oil has been detected on the shores of Sevastopol, approximately 155 miles from the Kerch Strait and 96,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil have been removed by officials and volunteers from the shoreline of Russia's Krasnodar region.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Vistra Energy personnel called for assistance from the North Monterey County Fire District after a fire was detected in the 300-MW Phase I energy storage facility.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for detect
Dictionary Entries Near detect
Cite this Entry
“Detect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detect. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
detect
verb
de·tect
di-ˈtekt 
: to discover the nature, existence, presence, or fact of
detect the approach of an airplane
detection
noun
-ˈtek-shən
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