1
as in combing
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something
archaeologists have begun to search the southern end of the valley, where they believe the underground tombs are located
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in exploring
to go into or range over for purposes of discovery
the Spanish conquistadors searched vast areas of the Southwest in their quest for the fabled cities of gold
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of searching
That name is so common in England that searching for it would leave sleuths acting on a tip chasing endless possibilities.
—
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
Others are searching for cult favorite revival bags, statement ready-to-wear in line with the spring collections, or occasion attire for the season’s upcoming events.
—Minty Mellon, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
That means choosing the right performers for the right parts, searching for the kind of chemistry that will enliven a film while sifting through scores of fresh, unheralded talent.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
The circumstances surrounding the gathering were unclear, but police were investigating and searching for the assailant.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Swathi Balantrapu has been searching for a treatment for her 10-year-old son with autism.
—Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 16 Mar. 2026
LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are still searching for their three-man chemistry.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The migration wave isn’t just limited to young professionals searching for work.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
That mentality fit perfectly with an SMU program entering a new era in the ACC while still searching for its first NCAA Tournament appearance in years.
—Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
Others are searching for cult favorite revival bags, statement ready-to-wear in line with the spring collections, or occasion attire for the season’s upcoming events.
—Minty Mellon, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
That means choosing the right performers for the right parts, searching for the kind of chemistry that will enliven a film while sifting through scores of fresh, unheralded talent.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
The circumstances surrounding the gathering were unclear, but police were investigating and searching for the assailant.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Swathi Balantrapu has been searching for a treatment for her 10-year-old son with autism.
—Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 16 Mar. 2026
LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are still searching for their three-man chemistry.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The migration wave isn’t just limited to young professionals searching for work.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
That mentality fit perfectly with an SMU program entering a new era in the ACC while still searching for its first NCAA Tournament appearance in years.
—Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for searching
Verb
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Already combing through cherry pie recipes?—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
-
On BookTok, Hoover was so heavily recommended from 2020 to 2024 that combing her books for the most unrealistic dialogue and character decisions became a minor trend.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And, as volatility persists across parts of the broader market and other economic concerns linger, many retirement savers are exploring assets that historically hold value during periods of uncertainty.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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The breathable mesh upper moves with your feet, and gives the perfect stretch needed to accommodate everything from exploring a new city to sprinting between airport gates.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Throughout the fourth quarter, the Spartans (32-7) kept finding open players with near-perfect execution on offense.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
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Back home, the men had experienced difficulties finding farming jobs—or any jobs at all.—
Boyce Upholt,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Later in the afternoon, a small boy walked into the food pantry holding his mother’s hand, his eyes scanning the room while his mom quickly grabbed bread and looked for a lime.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
-
At her home on Vancouver Island, the Canadian-American actor spends her days scanning the chop for whales, not floundering swimmers.—
Andrea Sachs,
Washington Post,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Capability allows autonomous systems to perform multiple tasks This capability allows autonomous systems to perform tasks such as locating hostile radar emissions, monitoring communications, and supporting electronic countermeasures.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
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Chicago police are asking for the public's help in locating a mother and her 4-year-old daughter, last seen in the Humboldt Park neighborhood on Friday.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Social Security inspector general’s office is investigating allegations that the former DOGE engineer took sensitive data on a thumb drive in a major potential security breach, said people familiar with the process.—
Elizabeth Dwoskin,
Washington Post,
11 Mar. 2026
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The Hennepin County Attorney's Office is investigating 17 possible criminal incidents involving federal agents during the surge, including two civilian deaths and allegations of excessive force.—
Esme Murphy,
CBS News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Picking a souvenir in Sanibel is as simple as squatting down in the sand and surveying the spoils.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
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The first poll will reflect responses from 2,000 likely voters, surveying them on the Democratic and Republican candidates.—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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By scouring the nation for its contestants and instituting a revolutionary audience-voting system, American Idol became a hot topic in its early seasons and continues to exert influence on music today.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Mar. 2026
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The better part of my day job includes scouring for new trends, cool companies, unique products, and major deals.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Searching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/searching. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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