SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
perceive
verb
To become aware of something through the senses or to understand it in a particular way.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Notice or understand
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topPerceive can mean detecting something through the senses or understanding its significance in a particular way.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See perceive in use
Two readers may perceive the same remark differently because they interpret its tone in different ways.
Another reader began to perceive the final pause as uncertainty rather than defiance after noticing the actor's repeated glances toward an unopened letter.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license