investigate
verb
in·ves·ti·gate
in-ˈve-stə-ˌgāt 
investigated; investigating
: to observe or study by close examination and systematic inquiry
: to make a systematic examination
especially
: to conduct an official inquiry
Examples of investigate in a Sentence
The police are still investigating the murder.
The accident was thoroughly investigated.
The manager promised to investigate when we pointed out an error on our bill.
He was investigated for his involvement in the incident.
Recent Examples on the Web
Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent said he and his team were blocked from continuing to investigate possible leads tied to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, alleging federal agencies told them to halt their work despite unsolved questions.
—
Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 19 Mar. 2026
Ian Gregor, spokesman for the FAA, could not immediately say Wednesday whether the agency was investigating the airport’s compliance with grant funding requirements.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2026
And who’s going to investigate these cases of potential misconduct?
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026
The man was taken in for questioning as Calumet Area detectives investigated.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for investigate
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Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 19 Mar. 2026
Ian Gregor, spokesman for the FAA, could not immediately say Wednesday whether the agency was investigating the airport’s compliance with grant funding requirements.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2026
And who’s going to investigate these cases of potential misconduct?
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026
The man was taken in for questioning as Calumet Area detectives investigated.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for investigate
Cite this Entry
“Investigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/investigate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
investigate
verb
in·ves·ti·gate
in-ˈves-tə-ˌgāt
investigated; investigating
: to study by close examination and systematic inquiry
Etymology
from Latin investigare "to track, investigate," from in- "in, toward" and vestigium "footprint" — related to vestige
Word Origin
A detective investigating a crime may find the criminal by following clues. In much the same way, a hunter may find game by following tracks. The origins of the word investigate show how fitting it is to compare the detective to the hunter. The Latin word vestigium meant "footprint, track." Joined with the prefix in-, the noun vestigium gave rise to the verb investigare. This word meant both "to track or trace by footprints" and "to study or examine closely." Only the second meaning was kept when the verb was borrowed into English as investigate.
Legal Definition
investigate
verb
in·ves·ti·gate
in-ˈves-tə-ˌgāt
investigated; investigating
: to observe or study by close examination and systematic inquiry
specifically
: to make (a criminal suspect) the subject of inquiry and study for the purpose of establishing probable cause
: to make a systematic examination
especially
: to conduct an official inquiry
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