perceived

1. 1
   adjective

   Understood or interpreted in a particular way by the person who observes it, as it appears to them.

   Engineers had to address the perceived safety problems even where the data showed none.

   The campaign focused on the perceived weaknesses of the rival product.

   Similarapparent, supposed, seeming, presumed

   Oppositeactual, real

   Note

   Here the weight falls on the observer, and the word often hints that appearance and reality may part company. It pairs naturally with real or actual, as in real and perceived affordances or a perceived or actual threat. Before a noun, as in perceived safety problems, it marks a claim as someone's reading rather than settled fact. That sets it apart from the "generally accepted" sense, where the view is broadly shared.

2. 2
   verb

   Simple past and past participle of perceive.

   The committee perceived a clear shift in public opinion last spring.

   By then, the scientists had perceived the pattern hidden in the data.

   Note

   Perceive is regular, so one -ed spelling serves both the simple past (the officer perceived a shape) and perfect or passive constructions (had perceived the pattern). Both meanings of the verb carry over. One is noticing through the senses, and the other is interpreting something in a particular way. The second, interpretive meaning is the one closest to the "as it appears" adjective.

3. 3
   adjective

   Widely recognized or accepted as being true.

   For decades the perceived wisdom among coaches was that athletes should avoid drinking water during practice.

   The report challenged the perceived benefits of the longstanding policy.

   Similarreceived, accepted, conventional, supposed

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