as in investigations
a systematic search for the truth or facts about something
a congressional probe into the accusations
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as in explores
to search through or into
tabloid reporters who seem determined to probe every detail of the singer's private life
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of probes
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
Trump directed the Office of the US Trade Representative to begin probes under its Section 301 authority, according to the fact sheet.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 21 Feb. 2026
Prior federal probes also looked at whether Tesla's Autopilot system may have been exacerbating human driver behavioral safety risks by undermining the effectiveness of the driver’s supervision.
—Keith Laing, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Backcountry skiers typically carry safety equipment such as avalanche beacons to help find each other if they get buried in snow, and probes to dig each other out.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Experts suggest wearing proper avalanche gear, such as beacons, probes, and shovels, and carrying satellite phones in case of an emergency.
—Dina Kupfer, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Robotic probes proved increasingly versatile and successful, eventually visiting every planet in the solar system as well as a scattering of moons, comets, and asteroids.
—New Atlas, 15 Feb. 2026
Albus and his team have quietly conducted interviews, collected tens of thousands of pages of documents, and carried out other efforts in multiple states in recent months, according to people familiar with the probes.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Since mid-2023, at least 50 senior officials in the military and the defence industry have been investigated in corruption probes.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 7 Feb. 2026
Denni Hu, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
The testimony comes as the committee probes Smith's actions during his time as special counsel in the Biden administration.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
The interim appointment comes a month after the Convention Center Authority parted ways with its former CEO Marcel Vernon, by way of a $500,00 severance agreement, as a state committee probes corruption allegations at the agency.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
In Sentimental Value, the writer-director Joachim Trier probes the real purpose of confessional art.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Aside from the annual financial review, the CSU’s internal auditing process also probes the 23 campuses in its system, including their auxiliaries.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 31 Dec. 2025
As a result of the incident, Chase suffers from memory gaps, which becomes something of a hurdle in the film when director Marina Zenovich probes Chase on his reputation for being difficult, particular incidents with SNL performer Terry Sweeney, and the conclusion of his work on Community.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
Underneath the genre frame, the film probes how both families confront loss.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 26 Nov. 2025
On its second launch, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket started a pair of NASA probes on a journey to Mars, and had its booster finish its own flight by landing on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.
—PC Magazine, 14 Nov. 2025
Noun
The science payload to be landed there includes seismometers, a drill to allow emplacement of heat flow and electrical conductivity probes, and instruments to study the magnetic field and surface weathering.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
Trump directed the Office of the US Trade Representative to begin probes under its Section 301 authority, according to the fact sheet.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 21 Feb. 2026
Prior federal probes also looked at whether Tesla's Autopilot system may have been exacerbating human driver behavioral safety risks by undermining the effectiveness of the driver’s supervision.
—Keith Laing, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Backcountry skiers typically carry safety equipment such as avalanche beacons to help find each other if they get buried in snow, and probes to dig each other out.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Experts suggest wearing proper avalanche gear, such as beacons, probes, and shovels, and carrying satellite phones in case of an emergency.
—Dina Kupfer, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Robotic probes proved increasingly versatile and successful, eventually visiting every planet in the solar system as well as a scattering of moons, comets, and asteroids.
—New Atlas, 15 Feb. 2026
Albus and his team have quietly conducted interviews, collected tens of thousands of pages of documents, and carried out other efforts in multiple states in recent months, according to people familiar with the probes.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Since mid-2023, at least 50 senior officials in the military and the defence industry have been investigated in corruption probes.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
Born in Guangzhou and based in Beijing, the 47-year-old Cao is known for her work that probes into the human condition amid technological transformation.
—Denni Hu, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
The testimony comes as the committee probes Smith's actions during his time as special counsel in the Biden administration.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
The interim appointment comes a month after the Convention Center Authority parted ways with its former CEO Marcel Vernon, by way of a $500,00 severance agreement, as a state committee probes corruption allegations at the agency.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
In Sentimental Value, the writer-director Joachim Trier probes the real purpose of confessional art.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Aside from the annual financial review, the CSU’s internal auditing process also probes the 23 campuses in its system, including their auxiliaries.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 31 Dec. 2025
As a result of the incident, Chase suffers from memory gaps, which becomes something of a hurdle in the film when director Marina Zenovich probes Chase on his reputation for being difficult, particular incidents with SNL performer Terry Sweeney, and the conclusion of his work on Community.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
Underneath the genre frame, the film probes how both families confront loss.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 26 Nov. 2025
On its second launch, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket started a pair of NASA probes on a journey to Mars, and had its booster finish its own flight by landing on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.
—PC Magazine, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for probes
Noun
-
The administration has since indicated that McDonald would instead report to the deputy attorney general -- like all other division heads -- though his confirmation hearing left open many questions about exactly what role Vance will have in overseeing investigations and prosecutions.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Victoria Jones expressed concern regarding safety, citing recent federal investigations into Waymo competitor Tesla’s self-driving software.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The project explores themes of instability, danger and fragility in three installations.—
Andrea Onate,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
This panel explores how talent, brands, and creators are using anime as both a narrative and business engine to fuel next-gen storytelling.—
Kimberly Nordyke,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On the computer, officials found Google Map searches for directions to Raven Rock Mountain, Liberty, Pennsylvania; Raven Rock, Maryland; and Raven Rock Complex at Blue Ridge Summit.—
Winston Rogers,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Feb. 2026
-
One of them was Raquel Navarro, a member of the nonprofit search group Madres Buscadoras de Sonora, which searches across the northern Mexican state for missing people.—
Stephanie Murray,
AZCentral.com,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Department of Justice regulators have sent inquiries to the three companies, according to one senior executive who was not authorized to speak publicly.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The Met is one of at least seven British police forces that are making or assisting with inquiries following the disclosures within the Epstein files.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This story was originally published by ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.—
Jennifer Berry Hawes,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Set in the 1990s, the film centers on a young FBI agent (Maika Monroe) who investigates a series of disturbing murders connected by highly specific commonalities.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His perceptive explorations of public and cultural institutions was unparalleled and he was honored with an honorary Academy Award in 2016.—
Arts Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Often regarded as Egypt’s answer to Alfred Hitchcock, the great director Kamal al Sheikh was known for his noir-inflected, clear-eyed explorations of class.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This is the question explored in The War Room, which examines Bill Clinton's presidential bid via the proxies of James Carville and George Stephanopoulos, who ran his campaign and engineered its success in an outsized way.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Phylogeography is a field that examines how historical events shaped the geographic distribution and genetic diversity of species over time.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Defensive backs, like McCoy, are set to have medical examinations on Wednesday.—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Feb. 2026
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Head to the second floor to visit the Registry Room (also known as the Great Hall), where some 5,000 people once filed through each day for legal and medical examinations.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Probes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probes. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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