What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
discover
Example
The archaeologist discovered ancient artifacts in the ruins. [discovered: verb]
Example
I discovered a new restaurant in the neighborhood. [discovered: past tense]
detect
Example
The security guard detected movement on the surveillance camera. [detected: verb]
Example
The detective was able to detect the suspect's lies during the interrogation. [detect: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Discover is more commonly used in everyday language, while detect is more commonly used in technical or scientific contexts.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between discover and detect?
Detect is generally considered more formal than discover, as it is often used in technical or scientific contexts.
