as in experimental
done or created to find something or to learn more about something
exploratory drilling for oil
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exploratory
Hockney’s paintings and drawings, as well as his later photo collages and digital works, invariably had a playful, exploratory, interrogative relationship with perspective, light, scale, framing, rendering—the basic components of picture-making.
—
Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
By the end of the trial, the mice displayed major improvements in movement, gait, coordination, and exploratory behavior.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 June 2026
Outdoor recreation improves mental health and cognitive clarity, strengthens immune and heart function and supports healthy childhood development through free and exploratory play.
—Jessica Turner, USA Today, 1 June 2026
To confirm that your potatoes are ready for harvest, do a little exploratory digging and check the skin.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for exploratory
Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
By the end of the trial, the mice displayed major improvements in movement, gait, coordination, and exploratory behavior.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 June 2026
Outdoor recreation improves mental health and cognitive clarity, strengthens immune and heart function and supports healthy childhood development through free and exploratory play.
—Jessica Turner, USA Today, 1 June 2026
To confirm that your potatoes are ready for harvest, do a little exploratory digging and check the skin.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for exploratory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exploratory
Adjective
-
The group’s commercial success in later years eclipsed the band’s experimental origins.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
17 June 2026
-
As a member of the Kang Research Group, Moitri brings exceptional skill in experimental design, data analysis, and advanced biological research.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
The defender, who is currently playing with Morocco at the World Cup after winning the Champions League for a second straight year with PSG, had appealed a February decision by an investigative judge.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 June 2026
-
An investigation of that scope would likely have generated substantial records, including investigative reports, emails and financial analyses.—
Daniel Ruetenik,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
The aerospace company has figured out how to position itself firmly in the middle of the speculative hype of the AI cycle, and numerous financial organizations have amended rules designed to protect retail investors.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
20 June 2026
-
CoreWeave, for instance, despite projecting significant revenue, carries a speculative-grade credit rating and substantial debt.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Trump says the text of the tentative deal will likely be publicly released after a signing ceremony scheduled for Friday.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
-
Last week, the Directors Guild of America became the latest of Hollywood’s major unions to enshrine new AI protections into its tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers following deals made with SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America.—
Corbin Bolies,
Variety,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Becchina said preliminary information indicated the man and another person had been arguing in an apartment.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
-
Netanyahu has remained quiet publicly about the preliminary deal.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Before that, the idea of one day becoming king was something distant and theoretical, a concept discussed in books and family history rather than something with immediate relevance to his own life.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
20 June 2026
-
This stopped being theoretical just this month.—
Renana Ashkenazi,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exploratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exploratory. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
