1. to see, recognize, or understand something that is not obvious
2. to see or make out with difficulty

Examples

• She could discern a pattern in the data that others had missed.
• It was difficult to discern his true feelings from his expression.
• The teacher helped students discern the difference between fact and opinion.
• Through the fog, we could barely discern the outline of the building.
• An experienced detective can discern important clues at a crime scene.
• The critic was able to discern subtle themes in the novel.
• From this distance, I can’t discern whether that’s a person or a tree.