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
His first career, right after college, was exploratory, resulting in purchasing one store in an airport.
—
Nancy K Schlossberg, USA Today, 3 July 2025
Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin also formed an exploratory committee to run for Kelly’s seat.
—Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 2 July 2025
Sales support requests, field issues and manufacturing challenges will almost always displace exploratory design and prototyping.
—Ryan Gray, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Weathered | 2024 | United States | Patrick Jang | Midwest Premiere | Three teenagers openly share personal stories of struggle, resilience and growth in this exploratory documentary that highlights the incredible teenage ability to weather through tumultuous inner battles.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for exploratory
Nancy K Schlossberg, USA Today, 3 July 2025
Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin also formed an exploratory committee to run for Kelly’s seat.
—Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 2 July 2025
Sales support requests, field issues and manufacturing challenges will almost always displace exploratory design and prototyping.
—Ryan Gray, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Weathered | 2024 | United States | Patrick Jang | Midwest Premiere | Three teenagers openly share personal stories of struggle, resilience and growth in this exploratory documentary that highlights the incredible teenage ability to weather through tumultuous inner battles.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for exploratory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exploratory
Adjective
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Participants were presented with a series of experimental questions along with two facial photographs, one of a bearded face and another of a non-bearded one.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
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Fox performed his original music on keyboards with Solo Smith on bass and Myles Martin on drums at the intimate club Gesu, blending elements of experimental jazz and soul.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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While estimates for the amount of guidance in existence or birthed yearly may not be as speculative as extrasolar planetary life, the magnitude remains bathed in the radiation of indifference.—
Clyde Wayne Crews Jr,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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Butch Dill/Getty Images While the report is purely speculative at this point, Saban unretiring to get back into coaching wouldn't be a complete shock.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Offering a striking new take on the immigrant experience, the film presents a tentative cross-cultural alliance between Mei and a sympathetic local chef named Marcello (Enrico Borello).—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
8 July 2025
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Opening matches at major tournaments are often tentative affairs and both nations will feel as though a draw represents a positive result in by far the toughest of the group games.—
Darren Richman,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
Adjective
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The judge set a preliminary injunction hearing for July 24, in which both sides will argue the merits of the case.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 July 2025
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The organization had completed a preliminary audit that found at least $150,000 was missing or unaccounted for, the criminal complaint said.—
Alec Johnson,
jsonline.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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From my perspective, these shifts aren’t theoretical.—
Jack Thorogood,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Carter, who had a doctorate in theoretical physics, dispatched a team of officers to the Bay Area to set up an outpost—officially called the Defense Innovation Unit, but known at the Pentagon as Unit X.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exploratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exploratory. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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