good at discerning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "good at discerning" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe someone's ability to perceive or recognize differences, often in a context where judgment or insight is required. Example: "She is good at discerning the subtle nuances in the artwork that others might overlook."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Fortunately, teenagers are very good at discerning the truth behind anti-Cuba propaganda.

The Guardian

Children are extremely good at discerning what their parents, teachers and other significant adults actually believe, and by what principles they live.

The Economist

There was one big problem: Facebook's trending algorithms, which identify the most-talked-about terms, were not very good at discerning what was and was not news.

The New York Times - Tech

"The human ear-brain system is good at discerning changes in sound level," Choueiri explains, "but subtle changes in the relative timing between the wave components of a sound are too subliminal for humans to detect.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"If the signal is there, how good are humans at discerning it?

The New York Times

That made systems which relied on them good at spotting narrow classes of objects but inept at discerning anything else.Dr LeCun's artificial visual cortex, by contrast, lights on the appropriate filters automatically as it is taught to distinguish the different types of object.

The Economist

But aren't Secret Service agents supposed to be experts at discerning motives?

The New Yorker

When this happens, the multi-objective algorithm becomes less useful at discerning better populations of solutions.

Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development

And suddenly, I'm fumbling a bit, slow at discerning the way.

Huffington Post

In workaday life we are not as good, not as discerning at locating our common humanity.

Huffington Post

Now it is not at all clear how Governor Romney hopes to prevail over the President's combination of good judgment, discerning listening and diplomatic skills and capable assisting personnel.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's analytical skills, use "good at discerning" to emphasize their ability to perceive subtle differences and make accurate judgments. For instance, "She is "good at discerning" the underlying motives of others".

Common error

Avoid using "good at discerning" excessively in highly formal or academic writing. While grammatically correct, it can sometimes sound less sophisticated than alternatives like "adept at perceiving" or "skilled in recognizing".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "good at discerning" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe someone's ability or skill. It indicates competence in perceiving and differentiating between subtle nuances or details. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "good at discerning" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression that describes someone's ability to perceive subtle differences and make accurate judgments. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English. While suitable for various contexts, including news and general discussions, more formal alternatives may be preferred in academic or professional settings. The phrase finds frequent use in News & Media, Science and Wiki.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

adept at perceiving

Replaces "good" with "adept" and "discerning" with "perceiving", emphasizing skill in understanding.

skilled in recognizing

Substitutes "good at discerning" with "skilled in recognizing", focusing on the ability to identify something accurately.

proficient in distinguishing

Uses "proficient" instead of "good" and "distinguishing" instead of "discerning", highlighting expertise in differentiating between things.

capable of differentiating

Replaces "good at discerning" with "capable of differentiating", stressing the ability to see differences.

effective at identifying

Changes "good" to "effective" and "discerning" to "identifying", indicating efficiency in pinpointing something.

astute at detecting

Employs "astute" to denote keen intelligence and "detecting" to mean discovering, suggesting a clever ability to find things.

sharp at understanding

Uses "sharp" to convey quickness and "understanding" to indicate comprehension, highlighting a rapid grasp of concepts.

competent in judging

Replaces "good at discerning" with "competent in judging", emphasizing the ability to form opinions or evaluations.

accomplished in assessing

Substitutes "good" with "accomplished" and "discerning" with "assessing", indicating a high level of skill in evaluating.

adept at telling apart

Uses "adept at telling apart" instead of "good at discerning", highlighting skill in distinguishing between similar items.

FAQs

How can I use "good at discerning" in a sentence?

You can use "good at discerning" to describe someone's ability to perceive or recognize differences, often in a context where judgment or insight is required. For example: "He is "good at discerning" fact from fiction".

What are some alternatives to "good at discerning"?

Alternatives include "adept at perceiving", "skilled in recognizing", or "proficient in distinguishing" depending on the specific context.

Is "good at discerning" formal or informal?

"Good at discerning" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though more formal alternatives might be preferred in certain academic or professional settings.

What's the difference between "good at discerning" and "good at understanding"?

"Good at discerning" implies an ability to perceive subtle differences or make judgments, while "good at understanding" suggests a broader comprehension of a subject or concept. Discerning focuses on differentiation, while understanding focuses on overall comprehension.