surveying

noun

sur·​vey·​ing sər-ˈvā-iŋ 

ˈsər-ˌvā-

: a branch of applied mathematics that is concerned with determining the area of any portion of the earth's surface, the lengths and directions of the bounding lines, and the contour of the surface and with accurately delineating the whole on paper

Examples of surveying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

More than 100 partners — including private ranchers, local communities and government agencies — have teamed up with Bat Conservation International to continue sampling for DNA and surveying agave patches. —Susan Montoya Bryan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026

Today, the commercial drone industry has applications spanning law enforcement, land surveying, weather forecasting, search and rescue operations, and package delivery. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Feb. 2026

Although surveying was being conducted along a roughly 300-foot-wide corridor, the pipeline will ultimately only need 50 feet, Fore said. —Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026

Monitoring, surveying, counting, observing and supporting wild places and wildlife are essential to citizen science. —Joe Murphy, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for surveying

• allaying
• arraying
• assaying
• betraying
• bricklaying
• buffeting
• conveying
• crocheting
• decaying
• defraying
• delaying
• dismaying

Kids Definition

surveying

noun

sur·​vey·​ing

sər-ˈvā-iŋ

: a branch of mathematics concerned with finding the area of any part of the earth's surface, the lengths and directions of the boundary lines, and the shape of the surface and with accurately showing the results on paper