as in searching
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something
combed the library for the missing book
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Recent Examples of combing
By Wednesday morning, law enforcement officers and workers in protective clothing were combing the area in search of the missing animals.
—
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Both directors have observed stan-worthy deep dives on social media, especially in TikTok videos, where fans are combing through moments of foreshadowing or character details that the filmmakers weaved into the story with love.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Carter’s research for a billionaire aesthetic included combing through design magazines and coffee-table books, noting blanched color palettes and editorial spreads that both reflect and shape real-world luxury.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2025
Then TikTok got ahold of it (yes, some teams even have staffers combing through social media).
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Officers were seen combing through the Spanish-style house and the surrounding neighborhood for evidence on Wednesday.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025
The unusual directive, marked as a top priority by the White House, has agents combing through decades-old files tied to the famed aviator.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
Detectives, according to police officials, are interviewing witnesses and combing through surveillance video in an effort to identify suspects.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2025
Will is basically subbing Katie in for Sylvia, consulting her for help in combing through Terry’s Instagram to look for clues that something is going on with Jenna.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Both directors have observed stan-worthy deep dives on social media, especially in TikTok videos, where fans are combing through moments of foreshadowing or character details that the filmmakers weaved into the story with love.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Carter’s research for a billionaire aesthetic included combing through design magazines and coffee-table books, noting blanched color palettes and editorial spreads that both reflect and shape real-world luxury.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2025
Then TikTok got ahold of it (yes, some teams even have staffers combing through social media).
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Officers were seen combing through the Spanish-style house and the surrounding neighborhood for evidence on Wednesday.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025
The unusual directive, marked as a top priority by the White House, has agents combing through decades-old files tied to the famed aviator.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
Detectives, according to police officials, are interviewing witnesses and combing through surveillance video in an effort to identify suspects.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2025
Will is basically subbing Katie in for Sylvia, consulting her for help in combing through Terry’s Instagram to look for clues that something is going on with Jenna.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combing
searching
Verb
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To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching).—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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Rescuers in the Philippines were still searching for more than 100 people missing, mostly in widespread flooding in central provinces.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Combing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combing. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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