probe

1 of 2

noun

plural probes
1
: a slender medical instrument used especially for exploration (as of a wound or body cavity)
2
a
: any of various testing devices or substances: such as
(1)
: a pointed metal tip for making electrical contact with a circuit element being checked
(2)
: a usually small object that is inserted into something so as to test conditions at a given point
(3)
: a device used to penetrate or send back information especially from outer space or a celestial body
(4)
: a device (such as an ultrasound generator) or a substance (such as radioactively labeled DNA) used to obtain specific information for diagnostic or experimental purposes
b
: a pipe on the receiving airplane thrust into the drogue of the delivering airplane in air refueling
3
a
: the action of probing
b
: a penetrating or critical investigation
c
: a tentative exploratory advance or survey

probe

2 of 2

verb

probed; probing; probes

transitive verb

1
: to search into and explore very thoroughly : subject to a penetrating investigation
2
: to examine with a probe
uncrewed vehicles probed space

intransitive verb

: to make a searching exploratory investigation
prober noun
Choose the Right Synonym for probe

enter, penetrate, pierce, probe mean to make way into something.

enter is the most general of these and may imply either going in or forcing a way in.

entered the city in triumph

penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling force or compelling power that achieves entrance.

the enemy penetrated the fortress

pierce means an entering or cutting through with a sharp pointed instrument.

pierced the boil with a lancet

probe implies penetration to investigate or explore something hidden from sight or knowledge.

probed the depths of the sea

Examples of probe in a Sentence

Noun The FBI probe did not produce any new evidence. a congressional probe into the accusations Verb His questions made it clear he was probing for information. He didn't like the police probing into his past. He didn't like the police probing him about his past. The doctor probed the wound with his finger. Searchers probed the mud with long poles. She probed the files for evidence that would help the investigation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Advertisement The probe comes a week after Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk unveiled prototypes of the Cybercab, a taxi that Musk claims will be fully autonomous, with no gas pedals or steering wheel. Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024 With a launch planned for 2029, the probe will park in space until a suitable target from the Oort Cloud appears. James Wray, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is probing whether John Deere used unfair practices related to the repair of its agricultural equipment that might violate the FTC Act. Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2024 Set on a beautiful, tiny island off Newfoundland, Saint Pierre follows Inspector Donny ‘Fitz’ Fitzpatrick (Hawco), exiled after probing a local politician’s corruption. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for probe 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'probe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Medieval Latin proba examination, from Latin probare

First Known Use

Noun

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1542, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of probe was circa 1542

Dictionary Entries Near probe

Cite this Entry

“Probe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/probe. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

probe

1 of 2 noun
1
: a slender medical instrument especially for examining a cavity (as a deep wound)
2
: a device used to penetrate or send back information especially from outer space
3
: a careful investigation
4
: an attempt to explore or learn about some unknown place
a space probe

probe

2 of 2 verb
probed; probing
1
: to examine with or as if with a probe
2
: to investigate thoroughly
prober noun

Medical Definition

probe

1 of 2 noun
1
: a surgical instrument that consists typically of a light slender fairly flexible pointed metal instrument like a small rod that is used typically for locating a foreign body (as a bullet embedded in a part of the body), for exploring a wound or suppurative tract by prodding or piercing, or for penetrating and exploring bodily passages and cavities
2
: a device (as an ultrasound generator) or a substance (as radioactively labeled DNA) used to obtain specific information (as detection of a virus or location of specific segments of a nucleic acid) for diagnostic or experimental purposes
the radioactive probe revealed the distribution of molecules in the membrane

probe

2 of 2 verb
probed; probing

transitive verb

: to examine with or as if with a probe
probe a wound

intransitive verb

: to search by using a probe
probe for a bullet

More from Merriam-Webster on probe

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