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
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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
By my count, that would leave the Rangers searching for three forwards and two defensemen, plus a new backup goalie.
—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
That's because people like the Warneskys, who are seeking to rebuild in disaster-prone regions, are searching for greater peace of mind.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Newman-Thomas determined that a corset felt like the regal touch Cassie would be searching for and reached out to designer Jackson Wiederhoeft, who specializes in corset couture.
—Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
But Deputy Solicitor General Eric Feigin said blocking such searches would handicap police searching for murderers, kidnappers and robbers.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
For a team that has spent much of the season searching for consistency and identity, this was something new.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Natalia, a lonely Brazilian centenarian, anchors this searching novel.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Gunshots fired Friday night in downtown Naperville have been confirmed but police are still searching for the suspects responsible, officials said.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Police are still investigating what led to the crash, but Rayner said authorities believe Croskey was struck while searching for his vehicle which had been stolen earlier in the evening.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
That's because people like the Warneskys, who are seeking to rebuild in disaster-prone regions, are searching for greater peace of mind.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Newman-Thomas determined that a corset felt like the regal touch Cassie would be searching for and reached out to designer Jackson Wiederhoeft, who specializes in corset couture.
—Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
But Deputy Solicitor General Eric Feigin said blocking such searches would handicap police searching for murderers, kidnappers and robbers.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
For a team that has spent much of the season searching for consistency and identity, this was something new.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Natalia, a lonely Brazilian centenarian, anchors this searching novel.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Gunshots fired Friday night in downtown Naperville have been confirmed but police are still searching for the suspects responsible, officials said.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Police are still investigating what led to the crash, but Rayner said authorities believe Croskey was struck while searching for his vehicle which had been stolen earlier in the evening.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for searching
Verb
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The day after a man opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, authorities are combing through a message sent by the shooting suspect, seeking to understand what allegedly led him from his life as a respected California teacher to a would-be assassin.—
Alayna Treene,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
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Investigators are now combing through a hotel room at the Washington Hilton.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the meantime, sliding on a pair of fins and exploring under the water's surface is a worthwhile way to temporarily escape your daily stresses, get away from doom scrolling and connect with the beauty of nature.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Orbitworks is exploring funding options for its $1 billion satellite launch plan, which could include support from Abu Dhabi and French government entities.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Gabriel, a 5-11 quarterback with middling arm strength, will have a difficult time finding that same opportunity.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Desperation under dire circumstances didn’t stop the Lakers from finding their lifeline in a 112-108 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets, winning the 5-minute extra period 11-7 after a stunning comeback in the final minute of regulation.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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From the vantage point of L2, the X-ray spacecraft was able to gather the data that informed this soft X-ray map by scanning the sky four times between 2019 and 2021.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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In some cases, paid ICE officers were scanning IDs while unpaid TSA workers were working the security scanning machines at Hartsfield-Jackson.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Analyses for both bills cite reporting by KFF Health News that found family members and attorneys have faced extreme difficulty locating and supporting patients hospitalized while in immigration custody.—
Claudia Boyd Barrett,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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Police were unsuccessful in locating Chance following the incident.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When Drummond moved to intervene in the homeowner lawsuit against State Farm, Oklahoma's insurance commissioner said that for two years, state regulators have been investigating how claims for roof damage are handled.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
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Sri Lanka’s Police Narcotics Bureau is investigating if the smuggling activities are connected to local drug-running networks.—
Lucas Lilieholm,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Reynders and Amy Franco from the Hillside Public Library have been surveying other libraries in recent months and learned several are still waiting for 2024 tax year distributions.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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The National Weather Service is still surveying the damage done and will have a report in the upcoming days.—
Lauren Bostwick,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After four years of scouring the genomes of affected families for a responsible gene, Traynor and Rademakers identified a mutation of a gene called C9ORF72 that many people with a family history of both diseases share.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
24 Apr. 2026
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About 170 personnel from various agencies, from the FBI to search and rescue personnel, were scouring the area on Wednesday, seeking more evidence that could help identify the deceased, Davis said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Searching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/searching. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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