discerning

/dɪˈsɜːnɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈsɜːrnɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈsər-niŋ/ (ame, mw)

discerning — adjective

  • discerningpositive
  • more discerningcomparative
  • most discerningsuperlative

1. able to recognize which things are of genuinely high quality, especially in matt

1.形容詞C1
釋義

able to recognize which things are of genuinely high quality, especially in matters of art, fashion, food, or culture

例句

Diya's discerning taste in furniture made her the best person to ask for decorating advice.

discerning taste in [topic] — collocation pattern

A discerning reader can tell a well-researched article from a shallow one.

discerning reader — typical attributive use

同義詞
  • discriminating

    very close in meaning; 'discriminating' can sound slightly more neutral or formal

  • perceptive

    broader — describes noticing things others miss, not limited to taste and quality

  • astute

    sharper and more practical, often used for business or political judgment

  • insightful

    focuses on understanding deeper meaning rather than aesthetic quality

反義詞

文法句型

discerning + noun (eye, taste, palate, reader, customer)

be + discerning + about + noun phrase

用法筆記

Commonly paired with nouns such as 'eye', 'taste', 'palate', 'reader', 'customer', and 'audience'. Describes aesthetic or quality-based judgment rather than moral judgment — use 'perceptive' or 'insightful' for understanding people or situations.

常見錯誤

❌My mother is very discerning about my friends.
✅My mother is very selective about my friends.
💡'discerning' mainly describes judgment of quality and style, not personal relationships or moral character.
❌He is a discerning businessman who always makes a profit.
✅He is an astute businessman who always makes a profit.
💡'astute' is more natural for practical/financial judgment; 'discerning' is better suited for taste and quality.