search engine

noun

: computer software used to search data (such as text or a database) for specified information

also : a site on the Internet that uses such software to locate key words in other sites

Examples of search engine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, Instagram’s AI search engine analyzes the full context of a post, including the caption and the keywords in comments, to understand what a piece of content is about and who should see it. — Tonia Ryan, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

In June, the UK ruled that Google must allow publishers to opt out of appearing in AI search features, while the European Union opened an investigation into its impact on web traffic and recently ordered it to make changes to its search engine. — Emma Roth, The Verge, 30 Sep. 2026

Page and Brin met while attending Stanford University, building the search engine that became Google in their dorm rooms in 1995. — Alexiah Syrai Olsen, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2026

The audio messages appear to depict Wallace explaining his digital process, which involves pairing an anonymous smear site with search engine optimization techniques to boost it. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

search engine

noun

: computer software used to search data (as text or a database) for specified information

also : a website that uses such software