1
as in senses
to have a vague awareness of
I thought I perceived a problem, but I wasn't sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in notices
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
perceived that it was going to be a nice day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in understands
to have a clear idea of
I perceive your point, but I still disagree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perceives
The survey aimed to capture how the fanbase perceives the club and its interest in a rebrand, and wasn’t limited to just the crest.
—
Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026
The Prince of Wales is said to be more involved in controlling the way the public perceives the monarchy.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 31 Mar. 2026
When the brain perceives threat or stress, a small structure called the amygdala activates the body’s alarm system.
—Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
In a process called simultaneous contrast, our brain perceives colored objects in relation to the color of the background that they’re viewed against.
—Nora Bradford, Scientific American, 23 Mar. 2026
The legal penalties for people abroad echo the clause in the National Security Law which China imposed on Hong Kong in 2020, which states that authorities can prosecute people based outside China over actions that Beijing perceives as secession or subversion.
—ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026
The White House perceives Iran to be weak.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 8 Mar. 2026
Perhaps this exemplifies how the East perceives the body.
—Li Qi, Artforum, 6 Mar. 2026
In the midst of constant motion, one rarely perceives the quiet influence exerted on others.
—Nia Bowers, Ascend Agency, 20 Feb. 2026
Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026
The Prince of Wales is said to be more involved in controlling the way the public perceives the monarchy.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 31 Mar. 2026
When the brain perceives threat or stress, a small structure called the amygdala activates the body’s alarm system.
—Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
In a process called simultaneous contrast, our brain perceives colored objects in relation to the color of the background that they’re viewed against.
—Nora Bradford, Scientific American, 23 Mar. 2026
The legal penalties for people abroad echo the clause in the National Security Law which China imposed on Hong Kong in 2020, which states that authorities can prosecute people based outside China over actions that Beijing perceives as secession or subversion.
—ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026
The White House perceives Iran to be weak.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 8 Mar. 2026
Perhaps this exemplifies how the East perceives the body.
—Li Qi, Artforum, 6 Mar. 2026
In the midst of constant motion, one rarely perceives the quiet influence exerted on others.
—Nia Bowers, Ascend Agency, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perceives
Verb
-
The team also found genetic differences between cancers that were able to spread in the heart and those that were not, and identified a protein that senses mechanical forces and reduces the activity of genes linked to proliferation in cancer cells.—
Anil Oza,
STAT,
23 Apr. 2026
-
This can happen due to a draft, a dirty pilot opening, or issues with the thermocouple (a small device that senses the pilot flame and controls the gas valve).—
Katie Cloyd,
Martha Stewart,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If the bear notices you, slowly back away while facing the bear.—
Devarrick Turner,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Darren Staples/Getty Images This is a weekly column where Jon Mackenzie notices something from one of the weekend fixtures in the Premier League.—
Jon Mackenzie,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mayor Mamdani understands the deadly seriousness of the task ahead.—
Jonathan Lippman,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The film fully understands what genre fans come to the platform for — strong scares, spooky atmosphere and a wild ride.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On his call with local media after being selected, Raridon said his knee feels good.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
This feels like a draft in which DeCosta will focus on the trenches with a need to come away with starters, plus depth, on both the offensive and defensive lines.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Set in 1645, the story sees a privileged young bride (Thatcher) accused of witchcraft on her wedding day and pursued by a ruthless witch hunter (Alwyn).—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Hitting theaters nearly 20 years after the first movie’s premiere, The Devil Wears Prada sequel sees original cast members Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci reprising their roles in the cult favorite film.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hundreds of miles away from Patriots headquarters, a franchise legend who knows Jacas well gave his stamp of approval.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Farley knows firsthand the capability of the Chinese car industry.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sandburg’s Alanna Noone hears the jokes from time to time.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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The Supreme Court hears arguments Monday about a relatively new law enforcement technique that allows police to tap into giant tech-firm databases to find out who was near the scene of a crime and may have been involved.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Microsoft still retains its equity stake in OpenAI’s for-profit company, as that company eyes a possible IPO later this year.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Bright’s ‘Wellsy’ asks Garrett Graham at a party as Josh Heuston’s Justin Kohl eyes her and nods, beer in hand.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perceives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perceives. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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