as in experimental
done or created to find something or to learn more about something
exploratory drilling for oil
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Recent Examples of exploratory
Of course, that’s an extraordinary literal reading, perhaps one not warranted by such circuitous, exploratory music.
—
Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 27 Jan. 2026
While rumination is repetitive and emotionally sticky, mental simulation is flexible and exploratory.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
That decision, even if only for exploratory purposes, should be left to a Congress whose majority isn’t addled by either devotion to Trump or fear of him.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026
That narrative convergence happens amusingly when Jimmy Ink is on an exploratory foray.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exploratory
Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 27 Jan. 2026
While rumination is repetitive and emotionally sticky, mental simulation is flexible and exploratory.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
That decision, even if only for exploratory purposes, should be left to a Congress whose majority isn’t addled by either devotion to Trump or fear of him.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026
That narrative convergence happens amusingly when Jimmy Ink is on an exploratory foray.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exploratory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exploratory
Adjective
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With house‑inspired production and a darker, more experimental sound, the mini-album — which sold more than half a million copies in four days — hinted at the group’s creative ambition.—
Rebecca Cairns,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Launched in May 2025, Jan Janz represents a new chapter for the hotel with an experimental fusion cuisine of Asian flavors spearheaded by their Filipino head chef.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Turkey arrests journalist on insult claim ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkish authorities on Friday formally arrested investigative journalist Alican Uludag, charging him with insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a series of social media posts.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Feb. 2026
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Similarly, Forensic Accountants are seeing a surge in demand as organizations confront sophisticated, cross-border fraud schemes that leverage AI and require investigative judgment no machine can replicate.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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It should be noted that in-hand images of the black colorway have yet to surface and pictured here are instead speculative mock-ups of what the pair is expected to look like.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
21 Feb. 2026
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With a top-notch cast and slick production design, Churchill’s clever concoction of speculative fiction, corporate satire and family drama remains sharp and timely.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Per the guild, the tentative deal was reached on February 13, and it was recently ratified by members with 98% approval.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
23 Feb. 2026
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That likely led to the relatively muted reactions across financial markets, and trading remained tentative as investors tried to suss out the long-term effects.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The data are preliminary and may change over time as more reports are received.—
Koko Nakajima,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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In January, after a six-day preliminary hearing, a Superior Court judge found there was sufficient evidence for the case against Price to go to trial.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Earlier theoretical work showed that combining spatial mode sorting with long-baseline interferometry could reach the true quantum limit for resolving two stars.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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The firm’s Chapter 11 practice is intentionally selective, focusing on cases with realistic paths to confirmation rather than theoretical restructuring plans.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exploratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exploratory. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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