probation

noun

prō-ˈbā-shən How to pronounce probation (audio)
Definition of probationnext
as in investigation
a systematic search for the truth or facts about something a candidate for the priesthood must be able to withstand an intense probation of his personal character

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 probation She was ordered to stay out of Barrow County as a condition of her probation prior to the shooting. — Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026 The discovery violated her husband Jake Haro's probation stemming from his 2023 child cruelty conviction. — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 31 July 2026 Smith asked the court to impose probation or allow Galatolo to serve any jail sentence through a sheriff’s work program. — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 31 July 2026 Alan Henry Triana, 39, was sentenced to two years of community control, which is similar to house arrest, followed by eight years of probation. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for probation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for probation
  1. investigation
  2. examination
  3. inquiry
  4. exploration
  5. study
Noun
  • His cellphone was seized by the FBI in 2024 as part of an investigation into his campaign finance reporting.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The outbreak wasultimately traced back to romaine lettuce, and the FDA closed its investigation last year without publicly identifying the grower or supplier involved.
    — Yahya Abou-Ghazala, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of investigation
Noun
  • No sentence in corporate life sounds more like the beginning of an examination, and none more dependably marks the end of one.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Among the most notable figures in this year’s report were 157 domestic abuse forensic exams conducted through the organization’s strangulation examination program, which launched in the past two years.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of examination
Noun
  • The piece urges critical inquiry into such claims, emphasizing that human oversight, not AI's inherent deviousness, can be a sizable contributor.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The inquiry shows that just $17,209 was used to pay healthcare and pharmacy costs, according to a review of statements from the couple’s eight Bank of America accounts between late December 2024 and late June 2026.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of inquiry
Noun
  • But capturing a liftoff live from the moon was the next logical step to chronicle NASA's lunar exploration in real-time.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • His explorations of being poor, marginal, and stereotyped took many forms, including drawing and painting, which are the focuses of a posthumous exhibition of his work at the Drawing Center.
    — Coco Fusco, The New York Review of Books, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of exploration
Noun
  • Emerging studies on leading AI models that have been specially trained by scholars to act as virtual Commanders-in-Chief, armed with massive arsenals of atomic arms, have been alarming.
    — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The studies looked at everything from chips and salsa to beef chili and chicken tikka masala.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026
Definition of study

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Probation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probation. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on probation

Nglish: Translation of probation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about probation

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