as in exploratory
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Recent Examples of investigative
Its platform is used by hundreds of correctional and public safety agencies across the country, offering tools to organize, analyze, and interpret communications data in support of investigative operations.
—
Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Complementing this perspective, vet investigative reporter, writer and doc maker Caco Barcellos will lecture about storytelling and journalistic responsibility.
—Marcelo Cajueiro, Variety, 22 May 2026
During a two-day investigative hearing this week, the board released a docket full of details about the crash.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 22 May 2026
Types Muckraking The term muckraking, popularized during the Progressive Era (1890s–1920s), refers to an early form of investigative reporting that focused on exposing corruption, social injustice, and abuses of power.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 May 2026
Dolezal said the committee itself is temporary and will dissolve at the end of the current biennial legislative cycle unless lawmakers create a permanent investigative body.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Andrew Blankstein Andrew Blankstein is an investigative reporter for NBC News.
—Tom Winter, NBC news, 19 May 2026
Because teams are deciding whether to devote millions of dollars and precious roster spots to occasionally unreliable males in their early twenties, much of a scout’s work is akin to investigative reporting.
—Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
That early design choice has historically meant that investigative output has often been structured, contextual, and reusable.
—K.h. Koehler, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Complementing this perspective, vet investigative reporter, writer and doc maker Caco Barcellos will lecture about storytelling and journalistic responsibility.
—Marcelo Cajueiro, Variety, 22 May 2026
During a two-day investigative hearing this week, the board released a docket full of details about the crash.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 22 May 2026
Types Muckraking The term muckraking, popularized during the Progressive Era (1890s–1920s), refers to an early form of investigative reporting that focused on exposing corruption, social injustice, and abuses of power.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 May 2026
Dolezal said the committee itself is temporary and will dissolve at the end of the current biennial legislative cycle unless lawmakers create a permanent investigative body.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Andrew Blankstein Andrew Blankstein is an investigative reporter for NBC News.
—Tom Winter, NBC news, 19 May 2026
Because teams are deciding whether to devote millions of dollars and precious roster spots to occasionally unreliable males in their early twenties, much of a scout’s work is akin to investigative reporting.
—Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
That early design choice has historically meant that investigative output has often been structured, contextual, and reusable.
—K.h. Koehler, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for investigative
Adjective
-
Bloomberg News reported in April the two real estate investment trusts, which are among the biggest apartment developers in the US, were in exploratory talks over what would be one of the largest real estate deals ever.—
Bloomberg,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2026
-
This is an exploratory season at wide receiver for the Dolphins.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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Joining Busta on this year’s line-up of speakers, panelists, and songwriting-camp participants are the experimental R&B vocalist serpentwithfeet, Flatbush Zombies‘ Erick the Architect, and Brooklyn indie act Pom Pom Squad, plus 200 or so other writers, producers, and performers.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
20 May 2026
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As part of the agreement, Incyte’s proprietary experimental data will be used to train Genesis’s foundation model to increase its capabilities.—
Amy Feldman,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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Anneli Maley is back with the Liberty on a developmental player contract, the team announced Saturday.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2026
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That leaves two more spots, one of which almost certainly would be used on a perimeter player who could contribute immediately and another likely on a more developmental piece.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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Our system already demands that evidence be relevant and probative.—
Ivan J. Bates,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
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This request is denied since these holes in the factual record, where defendants hold the pertinent backup evidence—should such evidence exist—are actually probative in assessing the reliability and accuracy, or lack thereof, of other representations by defendants about their actions more broadly.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Investigative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/investigative. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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