Discovering — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /di-ˈskə-vər/ (verb) /ˌkō-di-ˈskə-vər/ (verb) dis·cov·er

Meaning & Definition of Discovering

Discovering (verb)

  1. to make known or visible, expose
  2. display
  3. to obtain sight or knowledge of for the first time, find
  4. to discover (something) with one or more others, to be one of the discoverers of (something)

Discovering (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come to an awareness of

    "I was startled to discover that my keys were missing"

    similar: ascertaining, catching on (to), finding out, getting on (to), hearing, learning, realizing, seeing, wising (up), getting wind of
    related: hitting (on or upon), tumbling (to), descrying, detecting, encountering, espying, spotting, calculating, doping (out), figuring out, finding, puzzling (out), discerning, minding, noting, observing, perceiving, divining
    near: missing, overlooking, disregarding, ignoring, forgetting, unlearning, blanketing, blotting out, cloaking, concealing, covering, curtaining, enshrouding, hiding, masking, occulting, screening, shrouding, veiling

  2. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "we hope to discover the real reason for his odd behavior"

    similar: ascertaining, descrying, detecting, determining, digging out, digging up, dredging (up), ferreting (out), finding, finding out, getting, hitting (on or upon), hunting (down or up), learning, locating, nosing out, rooting (out), routing (out), rummaging, running down, scaring up, scouting (up), tracking (down), turning up
    related: espying, sighting, spotting, looking for, searching (for or out), seeking
    opposite: missing, overlooking, passing over
    near: losing, mislaying, misplacing, missetting

  3. to make known (as information previously kept secret)

    "discovered to his friend how people whom he had trusted had betrayed him"

    similar: baring, disclosing, divulging, exposing, letting on (about), revealing, spilling, telling, unbosoming, uncloaking, uncovering, unmasking, unveiling, bringing to light, going public (with), letting the cat out of the bag (about), spilling the beans (about)
    related: confiding, sharing, debunking, showing up, unclothing, undraping, advertising, announcing, blazing, bringing out, broadcasting, declaring, placarding, posting, proclaiming, promulgating, publicizing, publishing, sounding, betraying, blabbing, giving away, leaking, informing, squealing, talking, communicating, imparting, relating, acknowledging, admitting, avowing, conceding, confessing, owning, disinterring, raking up, smoking out, unearthing
    opposite: cloaking, concealing, covering (up), enshrouding, hiding, masking, shrouding, veiling
    near: camouflaging, disguising, gilding, glossing (over), varnishing, whitewashing, beclouding, bedimming, befogging, clouding, darkening, eclipsing, obscuring, overcasting, overshadowing, shading

Related Entry: Discover (verb)

Discover is a different word from Discovering. The synonyms below are for discover, not for discovering.

  1. to come to an awareness of

    "I was startled to discover that my keys were missing"

    similar: ascertain, catch on (to), find out, get on (to), hear, learn, realize, see, wise (up), get wind of
    related: hit (on or upon), tumble (to), descry, detect, encounter, espy, spot, calculate, dope (out), figure out, find, puzzle (out), discern, mind, note, observe, perceive, divine
    near: miss, overlook, disregard, ignore, forget, unlearn, blanket, blot out, cloak, conceal, cover, curtain, enshroud, hide, mask, occult, screen, shroud, veil

  2. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "we hope to discover the real reason for his odd behavior"

    similar: ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig out, dig up, dredge (up), ferret (out), find, find out, get, hit (on or upon), hunt (down or up), learn, locate, nose out, root (out), rout (out), rummage, run down, scare up, scout (up), track (down), turn up
    related: espy, sight, spot, look for, search (for or out), seek
    opposite: miss, overlook, pass over
    near: lose, mislay, misplace, misset

  3. to make known (as information previously kept secret)

    "discovered to his friend how people whom he had trusted had betrayed him"

    similar: bare, disclose, divulge, expose, let on (about), reveal, spill, tell, unbosom, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil, bring to light, go public (with), let the cat out of the bag (about), spill the beans (about)
    related: confide, share, debunk, show up, unclothe, undrape, advertise, announce, blaze, bring out, broadcast, declare, placard, post, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, sound, betray, blab, give away, leak, inform, squeal, talk, communicate, impart, relate, acknowledge, admit, avow, concede, confess, own, disinter, rake up, smoke out, unearth
    opposite: cloak, conceal, cover (up), enshroud, hide, mask, shroud, veil
    near: camouflage, disguise, gild, gloss (over), varnish, whitewash, becloud, bedim, befog, cloud, darken, eclipse, obscure, overcast, overshadow, shade

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Discovering

The most common words with a similar meaning to Discovering:

ascertaining, catching on (to), finding out, getting on (to), hearing, learning, realizing, seeing, wising (up), descrying, detecting, determining, digging out, digging up, dredging (up), ferreting (out), finding, getting, hitting (on or upon), hunting (down or up), locating, nosing out, rooting (out), routing (out), rummaging, running down, scaring up, scouting (up), tracking (down), turning up, baring, disclosing, divulging, exposing, letting on (about), revealing, spilling, telling, unbosoming, uncloaking

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Discovering

Words with the opposite meaning of Discovering:

missing, overlooking, passing over, cloaking, concealing, covering (up), enshrouding, hiding, masking, shrouding, veiling

Related Words for Discovering

tumbling (to), encountering, espying, spotting, calculating, doping (out), figuring out, puzzling (out), discerning, minding, noting, observing, perceiving, divining, sighting, looking for, searching (for or out), seeking, confiding, sharing, debunking, showing up, unclothing, undraping, advertising, announcing, blazing, bringing out, broadcasting, declaring

Near Antonyms of Discovering

disregarding, ignoring, forgetting, unlearning, blanketing, blotting out, covering, curtaining, occulting, screening, losing, mislaying, misplacing, missetting, camouflaging, disguising, gilding, glossing (over), varnishing, whitewashing, beclouding, bedimming, befogging, clouding, darkening, eclipsing, obscuring, overcasting, overshadowing, shading

Word Forms of Discovering

Inflections: discovered, codiscovered, co-discovered, codiscovering, co-discovering

Derived words: discoverable (adjective), discoverer (noun), codiscoverer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Discovering

Middle English, from Anglo-French descoverir, descovrir, from Late Latin discooperire, from Latin dis- + cooperire to cover cover

First known use: 14th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Discovering

What does "Discovering" mean?

"Discovering" means to make known or visible, expose. As a verb, it is defined as: to make known or visible, expose. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Discovering"?

Other words for "Discovering" include ascertaining, catching on (to), finding out, getting on (to), hearing, learning, realizing and seeing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Discovering" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Discovering"?

There are 105 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Discovering". Common alternatives include ascertaining, catching on (to), finding out, getting on (to), hearing, learning, realizing, seeing, wising (up) and descrying.

What is the opposite of "Discovering"?

Antonyms of "Discovering" include missing, overlooking, passing over, cloaking, concealing, covering (up), enshrouding and hiding. Near antonyms include disregarding, ignoring, forgetting and unlearning.

How do you use "Discovering" in a sentence?

Examples of "Discovering" in a sentence: "I was startled to discover that my keys were missing"; "we hope to discover the real reason for his odd behavior"; "discovered to his friend how people whom he had trusted had betrayed him".

Is "Discovering" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Discovering" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Discovering"?

"Discovering" is pronounced /di-ˈskə-vər/ as a verb and /ˌkō-di-ˈskə-vər/ as a verb and divided into syllables as dis·cov·er.

What is the origin of the word "Discovering"?

"Discovering" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French descoverir, descovrir, from Late Latin discooperire, from Latin dis- + cooperire to cover cover. First known use: 14th centuryt.