probe

noun \ ˈprōb \

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: probe in a Sentence

Definition of probe

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

See probe defined for English-language learners

See probe defined for kids

Examples of probe in a Sentence

The FBI probe did not produce any new evidence.
a congressional probe into the accusations

Recent Examples of probe from the Web

Starr was examining an Arkansas real estate deal that involved Clinton — though the long-running probe would eventually focus on the president’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

— matt viser, BostonGlobe.com, "For questions of presidential power, Brett Kavanaugh has several answers," 14 July 2018
The president also blamed the special counsel’s probe into Russian meddling for harming U.S.-Russian relations.

— john fritze, USA TODAY, "Russian indictments come days before Trump's first summit with Putin," 13 July 2018
Page is a former lawyer with the FBI who worked on the Hillary Clinton email investigation and special counsel's Russia probe, and whose text message exchanges with the FBI's Peter Strzok about then-candidate Donald Trump drew national attention.

— CBS News, "Lisa Page to testify behind closed doors," 13 July 2018
The Helios B probe, which launched from Cape Canaveral on Jan. 15, 1976, came within 27 million miles on April 17, 1976.

— marco santana, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Parker Solar Probe preview postponed due to tubing leak, NASA says," 13 July 2018
How did Strzok respond: Strzok claimed that, to his knowledge, he was removed from the probe for reasons related to public perception — presumably to maintain trust in the integrity of Mueller’s team — rather than any concern about bias on his part.

— alana abramson, Time, "3 Moments That Actually Mattered at the Peter Strzok Hearing," 13 July 2018
Robert Mueller, who is leading the obstruction probe, is not known to have pinned anything on him.

— The Economist, "The case against impeachment," 12 July 2018
In June, a federal jury took just over an hour to convict Reynolds of 14 bribery counts in a widespread federal corruption probe that started in Macomb County and took down a trash empire.

— tresa baldas, Detroit Free Press, "Feds: No proof behind Macomb official's cancer story; keep him jailed," 12 July 2018
Now Channel 2 and the AJC have confirmed that Gundy’s spending has been incorporated into that probe — and that taxpayers have been billed at least $30,000 from an attorney who is representing her.

— dan klepal, ajc, "Atlanta judge spends lavishly on gifts, stationery and party invites," 11 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'probe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of probe

Medieval Latin proba examination, from Latin probare

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1580

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

probe Synonyms

Synonyms

delving, disquisition, examination, exploration, inquest, inquiry, inquisition, investigation, probation, probing, research, study;

Related Words

quest;

audit, check;

checkup, diagnosis, inspection;

hearing, interrogation, trial;

feeler, query, question;

poll, questionary, questionnaire, survey;

challenge, cross-examination, going-over, grilling, quiz;

rehearing, reinvestigation;

self-examination, self-exploration, self-questioning, self-reflection, self-scrutiny, soul-searching;

Other Aeronautics/Aerospace Terms

airway, apron, corridor, dirigible, fishtail, flat-hat, vector

probe

verb

Definition of probe

probed; probing

transitive verb

1 : to search into and explore very thoroughly : subject to a penetrating investigation

2 : to examine with a probe

unmanned vehicles probed space

intransitive verb

: to make a searching exploratory investigation

—

prober

noun

See probe defined for English-language learners

Examples of probe in a Sentence

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 of probe from the Web

The safety agency’s investigators spent a year probing McDonough’s death and writing their report, which presented the incident as a cautionary tale for the 1 million U.S. volunteer and career firefighters.

— mike hendricks, kansascity, "In a tragic loop, firefighters continue to die from preventable mistakes," 13 July 2018
Here are some of the most probing passages Bernstein ever penned, the work’s melodic progress at once surprising and inevitable.

— howard reich, chicagotribune.com, "CSO at Ravinia review: Marin Alsop poetically launches Bernstein tribute," 13 July 2018
Its most valuable tool was basic research: Bell’s scientists spent years probing the fundamentals of chemistry, physics, metallurgy, magnetism, and more in their search for discoveries that could be monetized.

— alex davies, WIRED, "Inside X, the Moonshot Factory Racing to Build the Next Google," 11 July 2018
Croatia is Pushing Croatia’s tightening the screws on offense a bit, probing and looking for an opening.

— rory smith, New York Times, "Russia Finally Falls, Leaving a Trail of Admirers and Doubters," 8 July 2018
But if Big Little Lies was soapy melodrama elevated by superb performances and Vallée’s extraordinary visual eye, Sharp Objects is Southern Gothic for the 21st century, probing the grim heritage and often squalid reality of small-town America.

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "The Twisted, Enthralling Rot of Sharp Objects," 7 July 2018
Jordan is in contact with lawyers probing the matter.

— jen kirby, Vox, "Jim Jordan and the Ohio State sexual abuse controversy, explained," 7 July 2018
Rarely mounting direct challenges, China has instead tested, probed and introduced ambiguities into every aspect of global governance.

— The Economist, "Xi’s world order: July 2024," 7 July 2018
The partially prehensile proboscis helps the species probe the ground for leaves and fallen fruit.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "For the Fourth, bring out the (San Diego Zoo) babies!," 3 July 2018

First Known Use of probe

circa 1543

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

probe Synonyms

Synonyms

delve (into), dig (into), examine, explore, inquire (into), investigate, look (into), research;

Related Words

inspect, sift, study, view;

browse, cruise, peruse, scan, skim (through), surf, thumb (through);

Phrases

check into, check up on;

Synonym Discussion of 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

PROBE Defined for English Language Learners

probe

noun

Definition of probe for English Language Learners

: a careful examination or investigation of something
: a thin, long instrument that is used especially for examining parts of the body

probe

verb

Definition of probe for English Language Learners

: to ask a lot of questions in order to find secret or hidden information about someone or something
: to touch or reach into (something) by using your finger, a long tool, etc., in order to see or find something
: to look into or examine (something) carefully

PROBE Defined for Kids

probe

noun \ ˈprōb \

Definition of probe for Students

1 : a slender instrument for examining a cavity (as a deep wound)

2 : a careful investigation

probe

verb

Definition of probe for Students

probed; probing

1 : to examine with or as if with an instrument

2 : to investigate thoroughly

Medical Dictionary

probe

noun \ ˈprōb \

medical Definition of probe

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