A good found synonym depends on how the thing turned up: you discovered a fact, located a file, came across an old photo, uncovered a secret or spotted a typo. Each verb tells the reader something extra, such as whether you were searching or simply got lucky.
Found is also a separate verb meaning to start an organization, as in founded a charity. This page covers both, plus another word for find in the present tense and swaps for finding. For more verbs with a clear job, browse the action verbs hub.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
discovered, located, came across, uncovered, spottedPart of speech
Verb (found is the past tense, and also its own verb)Most casual
came across, bumped into, dug upMost formal
ascertained, located, establishedAntonyms
lost, missed, overlookedWatch out
Founded, not found, is the past tense of found in the sense of starting a company.Word forms covered
find, finds, found, finding, findings
Did you search or get lucky?
The biggest split in this word family is effort. Some verbs say you went looking; others say the thing simply appeared in your path. Picking the right side makes your sentence more precise.
| Situation | Words to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| You searched on purpose | located, tracked down, traced, pinpointed | The mechanic pinpointed the leak. |
| It happened by chance | came across, stumbled on, happened upon | I stumbled on a great used bookshop. |
| You learned a fact | discovered, learned, realized, worked out | We learned the shop closes at six. |
| You noticed something small | spotted, noticed, picked out | She spotted two errors in the draft. |
Every found synonym, sorted by sense
Past tense of find
discovered, located, came across, uncovered, detected, spotted, noticed, tracked down, unearthed, turned up, identified, realized, figured out, ascertained.
Past tense of found (to start)
established, set up, started, created, launched, instituted, built. A founder is the person who did it, so the swaps are creator, originator or pioneer.
For the starting sense, establish synonyms has a fuller list, and discover synonyms covers words for learning something new.
From come across to ascertain
Across the paint chips at the head of this page, formality climbs step by step. Come across is relaxed and friendly, perfect for a text. Spot is quick and everyday. Track down adds the sense of a hunt. Locate sounds tidy and businesslike. Ascertain is the most starched choice here and belongs in reports, legal letters or research methods.
Most of the time the middle words work best. Ascertain can sound pompous when the fact is simple, like the time a train leaves.
Before and after: find in real sentences
- I found an old letter in the attic becomes I came across an old letter in the attic.
- Police found the missing car becomes police located the missing car.
- The study found a link between sleep and mood becomes the study identified a link or revealed a link.
- Can you find my keys becomes can you track down my keys.
- She found the answer becomes she worked out the answer.
- They found a school in the village becomes they established a school in the village.
- I find this hard becomes I consider this hard in formal writing.
An email line: "I found the invoice you asked about and found two mistakes." Swapping one verb removes the echo: "I located the invoice you asked about and spotted two mistakes."
Words for finding and findings
Finding as a verb form swaps cleanly with discovering, locating, tracking down or uncovering. Finding it difficult can become struggling with it.
Findings, the noun, is the word researchers use for results. Good replacements are results, conclusions, discoveries, outcomes and data. In a lab report, write our results show instead of our findings found, which repeats the same root.
A student essay: "The findings of the survey found that most teens sleep too little." A cleaner version: "The survey results showed that most teens sleep too little."
Look alike words that do not fit
Seek and search describe looking, not success. You can seek a job for months without finding one, so do not swap them for found. See the seek synonyms page for that idea.
Invent means creating something new, while discover means finding what already exists. A scientist discovers a planet but invents a telescope. Obtain means getting something, which may involve no search at all.
Opposites of find
The clearest antonym is lose. Miss and overlook mean you failed to notice something that was there. Misplace is gentler than lose and suggests the item is nearby. Hide and conceal are the opposite action, keeping something from being found.
- I misplaced my glasses again.
- The editor overlooked a spelling error on page two.
Frequently asked questions
What is another word for found?
Discovered, located and came across are the most common. Choose located when you searched, came across when it was luck and discovered when you learned something new.
Which find synonyms sound formal?
Locate, ascertain and identify sound formal. Ascertain suits facts, locate suits places and objects, and identify suits causes or patterns.
What is the difference between found and founded?
Found is the past tense of find. Founded is the past tense of found, a different verb that means to start an organization. She founded a company last spring, and she found her passport this morning.
Can I use discover instead of find?
Yes, when the thing was unknown to you before. Discover sounds odd for routine items, so you would not say you discovered your shoes under the bed unless you want a playful tone.
How should I rewrite the study found in a report?
Try the study showed, revealed, identified, concluded or reported. Revealed suits a surprise, while concluded suits a careful argument.
What is the opposite of find?
Lose is the direct opposite. Miss and overlook describe failing to notice, and hide describes keeping something from being found.