detector

noun

di-ˈtek-tər How to pronounce detector (audio)
Definition of detectornext
as in sensor
a device that detects some physical quantity and responds usually with a transmitted signal a motion detector to thwart burglaries

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 detector Swipe-pay is vulnerable to theft because the magnetic stripe behind cards does a poor job of securing personal information, according to Scott Schober, the CEO of Berkeley Varitronics Systems who has invented several skimming detectors. — Juliana Kim, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026 According to the study, all seven AI detectors unanimously identified 18 of the 91 TOEFL student essays (19%) as AI-generated and a remarkable 89 of the 91 TOEFL essays (97%) were flagged by at least one of the detectors. — James Folta, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026 View gallery - 7 images A new mine detector technology has been tested in Brisbane, Australia, that puts a new spin on hunting things that go boom. — New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2026 First Alert Plug-in Carbon Monoxide Detector For solo travelers, a carbon monoxide detector can be a smart addition to your hotel or vacation rental safety kit. — Nneya Richards, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for detector
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detector
sensor
Noun
  • By adding a company with a long record in underwater robotics, Elbit gains access to specialist expertise that complements its existing surface, sensor, communications and command-and-control capabilities.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Once airborne, kilometers from shore, where coastal boat traffic becomes sparse, cameras and other sensors help spot slower vessels that would have the right of way at all times.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensor

Phrases Containing detector

Browse Nearby Words

detectives
detector
detectors
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on detector

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about detector

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

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

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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 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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All