Meaning & use

discernment

noun·Advanced

The ability to judge well and perceive things clearly, especially subtle differences or underlying truths.

See it in a sentence

Good discernment helped the manager tell which applicants were truly qualified for the job.

She read the contract with great discernment, noticing a clause everyone else had missed.

A note on using this word

Disernment is a common misspelling; the correct spelling is discernment, from the verb discern.

Words with a similar meaning

insightjudgment

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

confusion

Make it your own

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