exploratory

adjective

ex·​plor·​ato·​ry ik-ˈsplȯr-ə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce exploratory (audio)
: of, relating to, or being exploration
exploratory surgery
exploratory drilling for oil

Examples of exploratory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In cultivating skills such as an exploratory orientation, empathy and emotional regulation, individuals create a mindset conducive to wise behavior. Mark Travers, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 This refers to exploratory products, such as CUDA, which not only do not have competitors but don’t even have obvious customers. Stephen Witt, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2023 Between May 2017 and December 2020, employees performed invasive, exploratory brain studies on rhesus macaques at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). Dhruv Mehrotra, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2023 New ideas include a Golden Classics section and a section devoted to documentaries as well as an exploratory idea of an outdoor cinema with a sauna nearby for those who can’t bear the subzero temperatures. John Bleasdale, Variety, 18 Nov. 2023 That’s the exploratory scaffolding on which Smith constructed her most engaging art. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023 The easy single-track meanders for a half-mile through wildflower meadows and mixed conifer woodlands before bumping into the Big Bang Trail, the turnaround point for this exploratory trip. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 8 Sep. 2023 Along with the actual slime, this set comes with cupcake charms so your kids can indulge in ASMR exploratory play. Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 3 Oct. 2023 Earlier this year, German crate-digging label Analog Africa released a retrospective of Mayorga’s more exploratory electronic works, while a new album of original compositions titled Cumbia Pishcodélica is slated for release in the coming months via Musicoteca Ecuador. Richard Villegas, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exploratory was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near exploratory

Cite this Entry

“Exploratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exploratory. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

exploratory

adjective
ex·​plor·​a·​to·​ry
ik-ˈsplōr-ə-ˌtōr-ē,
-ˌtȯr-
: of, relating to, or being exploration
exploratory drilling for oil
an exploratory trip
exploratory surgery

Medical Definition

exploratory

adjective
: of, relating to, or being exploration
exploratory surgery
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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