detect
verb B2
Plain meaning
notice or discover something that is hidden or not obvious
Exam-register meaning
In academic or exam writing, this is used to discuss notice or discover something that is hidden or not obvious in a more precise way.
In context
naturalThe team tried to detect a pattern before the deadline.
examThe passage suggests that institutions may need to detect a pattern in order to improve long-term outcomes.
Common collocations
detect a patterndetect diseasedetect fraud
Watch out
Do not pair it with a random object. Learn the full pattern, e.g., “detect a pattern”. Also avoid confusing it with “discover”.