search

verb \ ˈsərch \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of search

transitive verb

1 : to look into or over carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something: such as

a : to examine in seeking something

searched the north field

b : to look through or explore by inspecting possible places of concealment or investigating suspicious circumstances

c : to read thoroughly : check; especially : to examine a public record or register for information about

search land titles

d : to examine for articles concealed on the person

e : to look at as if to discover or penetrate intention or nature

2 : to uncover, find, or come to know by inquiry or scrutiny —usually used with out

intransitive verb

1 : to look or inquire carefully

searched for the papers

2 : to make painstaking investigation or examination

—

searchability

play \ˌsər-chə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

—

searchable

play \ˈsər-chə-bəl\ adjective

—

searcher

noun

—

searchingly

play \ˈsər-chiŋ-lē\ adverb

See search defined for English-language learners

See search defined for kids

Examples of search in a Sentence

They haven't found him yet, so they have to keep searching.
The police searched her for concealed weapons.
He was searched by the guard before he was allowed to enter the courtroom.
The software allows you to search thousands of sites at the same time.
She searched for information on the Web.
He searched her face, hoping to see some glimmer of emotion.

Recent Examples of search from the Web

Officers found nearly 4 pounds of meth at his residence when it was searched June 14, 2016, prosecutors say.

— laurel andrews, Anchorage Daily News, "Anchorage man will serve over 4 years in prison for opium distribution," 12 Apr. 2018
Amtrak investigators stopped a train in Westport, Connecticut, where passengers were told to evacuate so that a bomb squad could search the cars.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Comic T.J. Miller charged in bogus bomb threat," 11 Apr. 2018
The online library is always open at www.fortbend.lib.tx.us for searching the catalog, renewing books or placing holds, streaming movies, downloading e-books, or using the research databases.

— karen zurawski, Houston Chronicle, "Fort Bend Arts Festival marks fifth year," 11 Apr. 2018
The agency said deputies will keep searching the county coastline as calls for service allow and that search and rescue divers are readying to be deployed to the crash site area once ocean conditions improve.

— shane dixon kavanaugh, OregonLive.com, "Sarah Hart sent alarming 3 a.m. text to friend ... then silence," 11 Apr. 2018
The train was stopped in Westport, Connecticut, where it was searched.

— Time, "During Facebook's Senate Hearing, Reddit Reveals It Banned Almost 1,000 Russian Trolls," 10 Apr. 2018
What applies to Facebook could easily apply to Google (goog, +0.59%), Twitter (twtr, +1.75%), Snapchat (snap, +1.20%), Instagram, and other free social and search services.

— alex salkever, Fortune, "Commentary: A Solution to Facebook’s Privacy Mess: Charge the Richest Users," 10 Apr. 2018
What the mother didn’t know was that a cyber safety expert was searching her Facebook page.

— anita kulick, Philly.com, "What to know about 'sharenting' and 'digital kidnapping'," 10 Apr. 2018
Further searching revealed five fossil pieces that fitted together to form a 3.2-foot-long bone, which the scientists identified as being from the lower jaw of an ichthyosaur.

— National Geographic, "Prehistoric 'Sea Monster' May Be Largest That Ever Lived," 9 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of search

Middle English cerchen, from Anglo-French cercher, sercher to travel about, investigate, search, from Late Latin circare to go about, from Latin circum round about — more at circum-

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

search Synonyms

search

noun

Definition of search

1 a : an act of searching

a search for food

go in search of help

b : an act of boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas in exercise of right of search

2 obsolete : a party that searches

3 : power or range of penetrating; also : a penetrating effect

See search defined for English-language learners

Examples of search in a Sentence

We will begin a search for a new manager this week.
I performed a search for the file.
I did a Web search for restaurants in that area.

Recent Examples of search from the Web

The town has narrowed its search for a firm to determine the future of the Slocomb Mill dam along Roaring Brook.

— peter marteka, Courant Community, "Town Reviewing Options For Slocomb Mill Dam," 12 Apr. 2018
Bradshaw got back behind the wheel to continue her search for the suspects and other crime.

— jessica anderson, baltimoresun.com, "Baltimore Police mobile metro unit hits the streets; is credited with helping reduce crime," 12 Apr. 2018
Among them: questions about Pruitt's expenses for travel and security, the salaries of some employees and allegations that a subordinate helped with his housing search in Washington.

— tristan baurick, NOLA.com, "Are Mississippi River fish safe to eat? It depends: report," 11 Apr. 2018
Former Manchester United and Barcelona defender Laurent Blanc has been linked with a shock return to management, as Chelsea continue their search to find Antonio Conte's replacement before the summer.

— SI.com, "Chelsea Eye Former PSG Manager As Shock Candidate to Replace Antonio Conte This Summer," 11 Apr. 2018
At the end of March, the company announced new tools to let its users see and delete information such as their friend requests and their Facebook searches.

— New York Times, "A Tough Task for Facebook: European-Type Privacy for All," 8 Apr. 2018
Medical websites are largely free to sell our private searches about cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression to the highest bidder.

— jessica rich, WIRED, "Beyond Facebook: It’s High Time for Stronger Privacy Laws," 8 Apr. 2018
Her search led her to Joliet Junior College's Orthotics and Prosthetics Technology (OPT) program.

— donna vickroy, Daily Southtown, "In JJC program, students learn to blend science and art into gift of mobility," 7 Apr. 2018
Even his YouTube searches for Stan Mikita don’t turn up enough results to satisfy him.

— rich campbell, chicagotribune.com, "Blackhawks honor Stan Mikita through grandsons in 'One More Shift'," 6 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of search

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

search Synonyms

Synonyms

hunt, quest;

Related Words

shakedown;

sweep;

chase, pursuit;

reconnaissance, scout;

canvass (also canvas), survey;

exploration, probe;

forage;

SEARCH Defined for English Language Learners

search

verb

Definition of search for English Language Learners

: to carefully look for someone or something : to try to find someone or something
: to carefully look for someone or something in (something)
: to carefully look through the clothing of (someone) for something that may be hidden

search

noun

Definition of search for English Language Learners

: an attempt to find someone or something : the act or process of looking for someone or something
: an attempt to find information in a database, network, Web site, etc., by using a computer program

SEARCH Defined for Kids

search

verb \ ˈsərch \

Definition of search for Students

searched; searching

1 : to go through or look around carefully and thoroughly in an effort to find something

… she searched the nearby shore for signs of an intruder.
—E. B. White, The Trumpet of the Swan

2 : to carefully look for someone or something

3 : to look in the pockets or the clothing of (someone) for something hidden

search

noun

Definition of search for Students

: an act or instance of looking for someone or something

Law Dictionary

search

noun

legal Definition of search

1 : an exploratory investigation (as of an area or person) by a government agent that intrudes on an individual's reasonable expectation of privacy and is conducted usually for the purpose of finding evidence of unlawful activity or guilt or to locate a person

warrantless searches are invalid unless they fall within narrowly drawn exceptions
—State v. Mahone, 701 P.2d 171 (1985)

— see also exigent circumstances, plain view 2, probable cause at cause 2, reasonable suspicion, search warrant at warrant — compare seizure

Note: The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits unreasonable searches and requires that a warrant may issue only upon probable cause and that the warrant must particularly describe the place to be searched. Some searches, such as a search incident to an arrest, have been held to be valid without a warrant.

— administrative search

: an inspection or search carried out under a regulatory or statutory scheme especially in public or commercial premises and usually to enforce compliance with regulations or laws pertaining to health, safety, or security

one of the fundamental principles of administrative searches is that the government may not use an administrative inspection scheme as a pretext to search for evidence of criminal violations
—People v. Madison, 520 N.E.2d 374 (1988)

— called also administrative inspection, inspection, regulatory search; see also probable cause at cause 2

Note: The U.S. Supreme Court held in Camara v. Municipal Court, 387 U.S. 523 (1967), that a reasonable administrative search may be conducted upon a showing of probable cause which is less stringent than that required for a search incident to a criminal investigation. The Court stated that the reasonableness of the search can only be determined by “balancing the need to search against the invasion which the search entails.” Cases following Camara have stated that the probable cause requirement is fulfilled by showing that the search meets reasonable administrative standards established in a nonarbitrary regulatory scheme.

— border search

: a search made of a person upon crossing into the U.S. at a border or its equivalent (as the airport at which the person arrives in the U.S.)

Note: Probable cause is not required for a border search.

— consent search

: a warrantless search conducted upon the voluntarily given consent of a person having authority over the place or things to be searched

— inventory search

: a warrantless search (as of an impounded automobile) conducted for the purpose of placing personal property in safekeeping to prevent loss of the property and claims against police for such loss

— protective search

: a search (as a frisk) conducted by a law enforcement officer for the purpose of ensuring against threats to safety (as from a concealed weapon) or sometimes to prevent the destruction of evidence

— regulatory search

: administrative search in this entry

— shakedown search \ˈshāk-ˌdau̇n-\

: a search for illicit or contraband material (as weapons or drugs) in prisoners' cells that is usually random and warrantless

Note: In Hudson v. Palmer, 468 U.S. 517 (1984), the U.S. Supreme Court held that Fourth Amendment protections do not extend to searches of prisoners' cells.

— strip search

: a search for something concealed on a person conducted after removal of the person's clothing

2 : an act of boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas in exercise of the right to do so under international law (as in time of war)

3 : an examination of a public record or registry — see also title search