probe

1 of 2

noun

ˈprōb 

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

Synonyms

Noun

• delving
• disquisition
• examen
• examination
• exploration
• inquest
• inquiry
• inquisition
• investigation
• probation
• probing
• research
• study

Verb

• delve (into)
• dig (into)
• examine
• explore
• inquire (into)
• investigate
• look (into)
• research

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

Space weather forecasters can occasionally use data from scientific probes observing the sun, such as the European Space Agency's (ESA) Solar Orbiter or NASA's STEREO mission. —Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 16 May 2025

That conference series was part of a congressional probe into how Saudi Arabia has bought its way into popular U.S. institutions to reshape the public narrative in America and deflect attention from the country’s human rights abuses. —Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 16 May 2025

Verb

But Petzold is invariably a probing observer of his characters’ psyches, aided here by four excellent actors, including the incandescent Paula Beer in their fourth collaboration. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025

Read’s defense probed Hartnett about how small pieces of the taillight remained in place for several days during a snowstorm after Read’s car was seized by police. —Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 16 May 2025

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

Phrases Containing probe

• electron probe
• space probe

Rhymes for probe

• globe
• jobe
• lobe
• robe
• strobe
• bathrobe
• earlobe
• microbe
• niobe
• wardrobe
• microprobe

Kids Definition

probe

1 of 2 noun

ˈprōb 

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

ˈprōb 

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