discover
Stumble upon something
Discover means to find or learn something for the first time.
You discover a new restaurant, a hidden talent, or that your keys were in your pocket all along.
The word often implies uncovering what already existed but was unknown: Columbus didn't discover America—people already lived there.
Scientists discover cures; explorers discover lands; you discover the truth.
To be discovered is to be found by someone who recognizes your potential: She was discovered singing in a café.
Act of seeking
- seekTry to find
- locateDiscover the position of
- detectNotice or discover
- unearthExcavate or reveal hidden
reveal · stumble upon · come across · chance upon · track · trace · hunt · spot
Remove earth systematically
- unearthExcavate or reveal hidden
- artifactHuman-made historical object
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- ruinsDecayed structural remains
relic · tomb · treasure · dig · archaeology · paleontology · shipwreck · ancient
Find unexpectedly
- chance uponFind unexpectedly
- happen uponEncounter unexpectedly
- serendipityAccidental fortunate discovery
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
accident · fortuitous · coincidence · luck · fluke · windfall · surprise · astonish
Deliberate learning effort
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
- investigateSeek facts systematically
- exploreTravel to discover
- delveSearch or investigate thoroughly
probe · inquire · examine · ascertain · determine · find out · unravel · decode
Sudden profound insight
- awakeningReturn to consciousness
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
- clarityState of being understandable
dawn on · comprehend · grasp · recognize · understand · perceive · discern · fathom
search
Act of seeking
unearth · reveal · stumble upon · come across · chance upon · track · trace · hunt · spot · encounter
excavate
Remove earth systematically
- unearthExcavate or reveal hidden
- artifactHuman-made historical object
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
ruins · relic · tomb · treasure · dig · archaeology · paleontology · shipwreck · ancient · buried
stumble upon
Find unexpectedly
- chance uponFind unexpectedly
- happen uponEncounter unexpectedly
- serendipityAccidental fortunate discovery
unexpected · accident · fortuitous · coincidence · luck · fluke · windfall · surprise · astonish · marvel
study
Deliberate learning effort
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
- investigateSeek facts systematically
- exploreTravel to discover
delve · probe · inquire · examine · ascertain · determine · find out · unravel · decode · decipher
epiphany
Sudden profound insight
- awakeningReturn to consciousness
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
clarity · dawn on · comprehend · grasp · recognize · understand · perceive · discern · fathom · apprehend
expedition
Organized exploratory journey
journey · explorer · navigate · uncharted · frontier · pioneer · traverse · safari · trek · wilderness
invent
Create something new
pioneer · breakthrough · develop · conceive · formulate · introduce · innovate · patent · prototype · eureka
- explorationexploration, explore, expedition, expeditions, voyage
- detectiondetect, find, identify, locate, notice
- DIS- wordsdisagree, disallow, disbelieve, disapprove, disarray
- innovationinnovation, invention, innovative, innovate, breakthrough
- investigatinginvestigate, examine, inspect, probe, search
- root outroot out, flush out, ferret out, smoke out, weed out
- gold discoveryFinding valuable yellow metal
- scientific discoveryNew knowledge from research
- self discoveryLearning one's own character
- fossil discoveryLocating preserved ancient organisms
- Discovery ChannelCable network featuring documentaries
- discovery of fireLearning to control flames
discovery, discovered, discovering, discovers, discoverer, undiscovered, discoveries, rediscover, rediscovered