probe 1 of 2

Definition of probenext

probe

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to explore
to go into or range over for purposes of discovery probing the depths of the undersea trench

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb probe differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of probe are enter, penetrate, and pierce. While all these words mean "to make way into something," probe implies penetration to investigate or explore something hidden from sight or knowledge.

probed the depths of the sea

When is it sensible to use enter instead of probe?

In some situations, the words enter and probe are roughly equivalent. However, enter is the most general of these and may imply either going in or forcing a way in.

entered the city in triumph

When is penetrate a more appropriate choice than probe?

The meanings of penetrate and probe largely overlap; however, penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling force or compelling power that achieves entrance.

the enemy penetrated the fortress

When might pierce be a better fit than probe?

While in some cases nearly identical to probe, pierce means an entering or cutting through with a sharp pointed instrument.

pierced the boil with a lancet

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 probe
Noun
What are regulators looking for in their Waymo probe? Keith Laing, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026 The federal probe appears to center on Powell's testimony to Congress last year about cost overruns in a multi-billion-dollar office renovation project. Max Zahn, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
Police say the act appeared intentional and are probing it as a possible hate crime. Staff, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026 Earlier this month, six federal prosecutors in the office resigned amid pressure to investigate the killing of Renee Good as an assault on a federal officer and probe Good's wife, Becca, over any efforts to conspire to impede immigration agents, sources previously told CBS. Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for probe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for probe
Noun
  • There’s an urge to reconnect with our heritage, and people are undertaking ancestry pilgrimages, combining boots-on-the-ground investigation into family trees and searching for documents in town halls, with discovering the places our ancestors used to call home.
    Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • An investigation by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) has found that Team Canada manipulated the outcome of the North American Cup in Lake Placid, New York, earlier this month.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Union officials are investigating whether the Border Patrol agent involved in the shooting was a union member, the group said in a statement.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 25 Jan. 2026
  • Later, sources told CNN the Justice Department stopped investigating the agent and federal authorities refused to share information with local investigators.
    Andy Rose, CNN Money, 25 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Want to explore the moon's ancient surface for yourself?
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 25 Jan. 2026
  • That work became the foundation for the smartwatch system now being explored with families.
    Mayo Clinic News Network, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • At the same time, the instruction was deeply committed to the idea that women could and should be full participants in scientific inquiry.
    Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Swiss Federal Supreme Court referred her case back to CAS, with new audio-visual evidence that could prove the inquiry was filed within the required timeframe.
    Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Kim Jee-woon’s A Bittersweet Life (2005) drew on the cool aesthetics of Jean-Pierre Melville’s gangster films while examining specifically Korean concepts of loyalty and social hierarchy.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The researchers examined genetic markers linked to how the body processes sugar, then used a technique called Mendelian randomisation to compare disease rates in people who were genetically predisposed to higher blood glucose.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • There’s an urge to reconnect with our heritage, and people are undertaking ancestry pilgrimages, combining boots-on-the-ground investigation into family trees and searching for documents in town halls, with discovering the places our ancestors used to call home.
    Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching).
    Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Those memorable segments demonstrated how the desk-and-sofa format could be a tool in the politician’s arsenal for shaping public opinion away from the pesky probing of journalists.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Giscard d’Estaing’s campaign self-consciously emulated American political campaigns of the day, and Depardon appropriately applies the tools of direct cinema to give us a probing, intimate look at the candidate on the cusp of power.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • An in-depth examination uncovers moderate profitability and growth, coupled with a competitive valuation.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The growing awareness that, even in mild COVID cases, the possibility exists for longer-term, often undetected organ damage also warrants more examination, researchers say.
    Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Probe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probe. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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