detectverb [ T ]
uk/dɪˈtekt/us/dɪˈtekt/C1 to notice something that is partly hidden or not clear, or to discover something, especially using a special method:
Some sounds cannot be detected by the human ear.
Financial experts have detected signs that the economy is beginning to improve.
C1 to discover something, usually using special equipment:
High levels of lead were detected in the atmosphere.
Radar equipment is used to detect (= find the position of) enemy aircraft.
More examples
- The alarm should go off automatically as soon as smoke is detected.
- Many serious illnesses can be nipped in the bud if they are detected early enough.
- I thought I could detect a slight West Country accent.
- In the future, cars equipped with on-board computers will be able to detect and avoid traffic jams automatically.
- I could detect subtle variances in fragrance as we strolled through the garden.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Finding and discovering
- a fishing expedition idiom
- alight
- ascertain
- break fresh/new ground idiom
- breakthrough
- catch sb red-handed idiom
- flush
- get wind of sth idiom
- happen
- happen on/upon sth/sb
- have a (good) nose for sth idiom
- have got something there idiom
- root sth/sb out
- run sb/sth to ground idiom
- scent
- search
- search sth/sb out
- smell
- sniff sth out
- stumble
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detectable
adjective uk/dɪˈtek.tə.bəl/us/dɪˈtek.tə.bəl/
There has been no detectable change in the patient's condition.