discerning

[dih-sur-ning, -zur-]

adjective

1. showing good or outstanding judgment and understanding.

   a discerning critic of French poetry.

   Synonyms: discriminating, sharp, keen, perceptive

discerning

/ dɪˈsɜːnɪŋ /

adjective

1. having or showing good taste or judgment; discriminating

Other Word Forms

• discerningly adverb
• nondiscerning adjective
• undiscerning adjective
• undiscerningly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of discerning¹

First recorded in 1600–10; discern + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Nearby vineyard owners worried the burn would make their world-class grapes too smoky for discerning wine lovers.

From Los Angeles Times

Turning anime into live action is a formidable creative challenge and a balancing act: on the one hand is a discerning fandom and on the other hand, an irresistible opportunity to find new audiences.

From BBC

The Tiffany designation is associated with high-quality, discerning, bold programming choices.

From Salon

“My time feels very valuable to me, and I’m very discerning about how much of it I give and who I give it to,” she told me.

From Los Angeles Times

His friend Emily Lawson, 26, of Brisbane, Australia, gave the barriers a discerning look and said: “There’s not really many signs. I’m going to stay away from the end.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• astute 
• insightful 
• knowledgeable 
• penetrating 
• perceptive 
• piercing 

When To Use

What does discerning mean?

Discerning is an adjective that means able to discern—recognize small details, accurately tell the difference between similar things, and make intelligent judgements by using such observations.Discerning is also the continuous (-ing) form of the verb discern. As an adjective, it can be used to describe someone who has the ability to discern or to describe such an ability.The ability to do this or the process of doing it is called discernment, as in Only through careful discernment can you tell a genuine artifact from the work of a counterfeiter. Things that can be identified or distinguished in such a way can be described as discernible.A close synonym of discerning is discriminating (not in the prejudicial sense).Example: Most chefs have a very discerning sense of taste.