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
Sip the famous Pseudo Sue IPA, or sample exploratory and seasonal beers while nibbling on pub favorites like cheese curds.
—
Sarah Miller, Midwest Living, 29 Apr. 2026
In positioning Mollestad as an exploratory team player, its six tracks reveal her chops well beyond that of a showboating virtuoso.
—Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026
This time, though, the idea isn't just brief contact and exploratory surveys, but a sustained lunar presence, and the agency recently announced a long-term roadmap for building a $20 billion permanent lunar base.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Jassy also recognized that his brand of exploratory thinking is easier said than done for today’s young workers.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exploratory
Sarah Miller, Midwest Living, 29 Apr. 2026
In positioning Mollestad as an exploratory team player, its six tracks reveal her chops well beyond that of a showboating virtuoso.
—Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026
This time, though, the idea isn't just brief contact and exploratory surveys, but a sustained lunar presence, and the agency recently announced a long-term roadmap for building a $20 billion permanent lunar base.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Jassy also recognized that his brand of exploratory thinking is easier said than done for today’s young workers.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exploratory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exploratory
Adjective
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As of December, Collins was getting experimental treatment in Singapore.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
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Her cancer returned in late March, after showing no growth on the experimental daraxonrasib pill for 13 months.—
Yuki Noguchi,
NPR,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has advanced his threats to take enforcement action against the NFL over its Rooney Rule, issuing the league an investigative subpoena on Wednesday.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
15 May 2026
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The subpoena had demanded Social Security numbers, birth dates, and medical records for all patients who received gender-affirming care in five years—revealing the government’s expansive investigative scope.—
Kimberlee Kruesi,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Out of these theories, the last seemed the most speculative, personal, and, therefore, pertinent.—
Weike Wang,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
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Although in-hand images aren’t yet available, a speculative mock-up was provided which is said to accurately depict the upcoming release.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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Ahead of the weekend, Deadline reported the two sides had reached a tentative deal after the staff union spent nearly three months on the picket line.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
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The Writers Guild Staff Union (WGSU) announced on Saturday that 89 percent of participating members voted to greenlight a tentative first contract deal, which concludes the union’s 82-day work stoppage.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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According to a preliminary investigation, four suspects wearing hoodies and gloves used hammers to smash a display case and stole jewelry.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
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Outside of a track and field preliminary meet at Yorba Linda High on Saturday, an anti-transgender advocacy group called Save Girls’ Sports organized a protest against California policies that allow transgender athletes to compete based on their gender identity.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Early explorations of the theme included self-portraits EXPORT made in male drag, as well as forays in poetry and theoretical feminist texts.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
15 May 2026
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But the new one is no longer theoretical.—
Ingmar Rentzhog,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exploratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exploratory. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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