ENGLISH
REFERENCE

detects

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //dɪˈtɛkts// UK //dɪtˈɛkts// de·tects

v. to notice or find something that is hidden or not easy to see. You often use this when a person or a machine finds a small change or a secret signal.

v. to discover or identify the presence or existence of something, especially something subtle or hidden. Often refers to the sensory perception of a stimulus or the technical operation of a sensor.


SIMPLE

The smoke alarm detects even a tiny amount of smoke.

CONTEXTUAL

The new security system detects any movement in the hallway after the office closes for the night.

COMPLEX

Sophisticated software now detects subtle patterns in financial data that might indicate fraudulent activity long before a human auditor would notice any discrepancy.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object. It is the third-person singular present form of 'detect'.

Pitfall

The machine detects of the gasThe machine detects the gasDetect is a transitive verb and does not take the preposition 'of' before its object.

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