Definition of detectionnext
as in discovery
the act or process of sighting or learning the existence of something for the first time my detection of the scent of baked apple pie led me to the kitchen

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of detection In September, a claim that a book by Haitian Canadian author Thélyson Orélien had failed an AI detection test led the jury for the prestigious Goncourt prize to remove him from its longlist. — T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 The settings screen contains buttons to activate or deactivate the lights, motion detection, motion alerts, and the siren. — John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026 This indicates that there are no systemic sources of error that are biasing the error-detection process. — ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026 The actual Edison device that Theranos used was an eight-channel pipette inside a black box that used the same chemistry and detection methods that have been used for blood tests since the 1970s. — Tyler Shultz, STAT, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for detection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detection
discovery
Noun
  • The discovery raises the possibility of a grim outcome in the search for the four men, which has led to El Salvador deploying 450 special forces soldiers to Haiti as of Friday to aid the gang-fighting force in the search.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • New discoveries matter only if companies have the incentive and capital to bring them to market.
    — Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Detection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detection. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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