perceived; perceiving; perceives
1
a
: to attain awareness or understanding of
b
: to regard as being such
was perceived as a loser
Examples of perceive in a Sentence
We perceive by means of the kaleidoscopic mirror of this life. This means that our ability to perceive is at once tyrannized by our expectations, and at war with them.
—
James Baldwin, The Evidence of Things Not Seen, 1985
Standing in the hallway just out of sight during this interview was Sarah. She held her baby on her hip and she listened. She perceived as no one in the family could the enormity of the misfortune.
—E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime, 1974
… and when they perceived her to be little struck with the duet they were so good as to play, they could do no more than make her a generous present of some of their least valued toys, and leave her to herself, while they adjourned to whatever might be the favourite holiday sport of the moment, making artificial flowers or wasting gold paper.
—Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814
I thought I perceived a problem, but I wasn't sure.
perceived that it was going to be a nice day
James Baldwin, The Evidence of Things Not Seen, 1985
Standing in the hallway just out of sight during this interview was Sarah. She held her baby on her hip and she listened. She perceived as no one in the family could the enormity of the misfortune.
—E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime, 1974
… and when they perceived her to be little struck with the duet they were so good as to play, they could do no more than make her a generous present of some of their least valued toys, and leave her to herself, while they adjourned to whatever might be the favourite holiday sport of the moment, making artificial flowers or wasting gold paper.
—Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814
I thought I perceived a problem, but I wasn't sure.
perceived that it was going to be a nice day
Recent Examples on the Web
Andersson not only takes issue with, what some perceive as, an overbearing approach by the Commission, but also addresses concerns relating to the process used.
—Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Candidates shouldn't feel anxious about being perceived a certain way, as this can lead to too many questions or coming across as aggressive, Fischer says.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
Not only do the tariffs affect the suppliers of brands like Princess Polly, but the market could also affect how viewers perceive these hauls.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2025
The Chinese leaders Nixon wooed had already split with the Soviets and perceived them as a threat.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for perceive
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Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Candidates shouldn't feel anxious about being perceived a certain way, as this can lead to too many questions or coming across as aggressive, Fischer says.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
Not only do the tariffs affect the suppliers of brands like Princess Polly, but the market could also affect how viewers perceive these hauls.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2025
The Chinese leaders Nixon wooed had already split with the Soviets and perceived them as a threat.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for perceive
Cite this Entry
“Perceive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perceive. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
perceive
verb
per·ceive
pər-ˈsēv 
perceived; perceiving
2
: to become aware of through the senses and especially through sight
perceiver
noun
Medical Definition
perceive
transitive verb
per·ceive
pər-ˈsēv
perceived; perceiving
: to become aware of through the senses
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