detected

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   Noticed or found something that was hidden, faint or hard to see, often with the help of an instrument.

   Grammar: Past tense and past participle; always takes an object: the scanner detected a leak.

   Patterns

   • detected something in something
   • something was detected by something

   The sensors detected smoke in the hallway.

   Doctors detected a small tumor during the routine scan.

   She detected a hint of sadness in his voice.

2. 2verbtransitive

   Worked out or discovered that something wrong or hidden, such as a crime or error, was happening.

   Grammar: Takes an object and often appears in passive form: the fraud was detected early.

   Patterns

   • detected that something
   • the fraud was detected

   The accountant detected an error in the quarterly report.

   Customs officers detected the smuggled goods inside a crate.

   Software detected unusual activity on his account.

Common combinations

first detected

The virus was first detected in a small town.

detected early

The disease was detected early, so treatment worked well.

go undetected

The leak went undetected for months.

detected by radar

The aircraft was detected by radar far from the coast.

detected traces of

Tests detected traces of lead in the water.

Synonyms and how they differ

discovered

Discovered stresses finding something that was previously unknown, while detected often means sensing something hidden or slight.

noticed

Noticed is casual and needs no instruments, while detected suggests more effort or technology.

spotted

Spotted is informal and suggests seeing something quickly with your eyes.

identified

Identified means saying exactly what something is, which goes a step further than just sensing its presence.

Opposites

Word family

detect verb

to notice or find something hidden

detection noun

the act of finding something hidden

detector noun

a device that senses something

detectable adjective

able to be noticed or measured

undetected adjective

not noticed

Commonly confused: detected or detected?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “detected”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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