as in investigations
a systematic search for the truth or facts about something
a congressional probe into the accusations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
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
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 probes
Jake Pearson, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2025
Over the past decade, neuroscience took a giant leap forward with the development of digital neural probes called Neuropixels, which can monitor thousands of neurons at once.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The rocket will launch two NASA Mars probes to space, with a launch date currently set for September 29, according to Blue Origin.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
For nearly five decades, NASA's twin Voyager probes have plumbed the cosmos in search of answers to some of astronomy's most perplexing mysteries about our solar system and its place in the wider universe.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
In hopes of confirming this and strengthening the signal, the Enterprise sends some probes into the wormhole.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Continue reading … MEDIA FAITH UNDER ATTACK – Christian university breaks records despite Biden-era probes.
—FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2025
EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Russia, too, regularly probes America’s northern flank.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
Everett probes race, language, irony, and power with wit and moral clarity.
—Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Yet his memoir—a book very much in the spirit of William Hazlitt or Thomas De Quincey, and worthy of standing beside them—probes his descent into compulsion.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
The Hill’s Emily Brooks probes those questions and others in her weekly newsletter covering conservative politics.
—Kristina Karisch, The Hill, 8 July 2025
Noun
Since February, most staffers have been under a stop-work order that has effectively stalled the bulk of its probes — including ones into debanking.
—Jake Pearson, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2025
Over the past decade, neuroscience took a giant leap forward with the development of digital neural probes called Neuropixels, which can monitor thousands of neurons at once.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The rocket will launch two NASA Mars probes to space, with a launch date currently set for September 29, according to Blue Origin.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
For nearly five decades, NASA's twin Voyager probes have plumbed the cosmos in search of answers to some of astronomy's most perplexing mysteries about our solar system and its place in the wider universe.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
In hopes of confirming this and strengthening the signal, the Enterprise sends some probes into the wormhole.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Continue reading … MEDIA FAITH UNDER ATTACK – Christian university breaks records despite Biden-era probes.
—FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
Amidst sexy scenes on and off the court and hilarious banter, Spencer also probes the more vulnerable, wounded parts of her character’s hearts.
—EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Russia, too, regularly probes America’s northern flank.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
Everett probes race, language, irony, and power with wit and moral clarity.
—Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Yet his memoir—a book very much in the spirit of William Hazlitt or Thomas De Quincey, and worthy of standing beside them—probes his descent into compulsion.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
The Hill’s Emily Brooks probes those questions and others in her weekly newsletter covering conservative politics.
—Kristina Karisch, The Hill, 8 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for probes
Noun
-
However, investigations into the cause are ongoing.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
At the very least, the government can mire the university in many costly and time-consuming investigations.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
My work explores the contradictions shaping women's lives in Italian society, focusing on how gender norms intersect with personal and collective acts of agency.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The movie explores a gentle legend whose father’s premature death gave him his own ticking clock and gives new context to some of Candy’s most memorable screen moments, showing how the man and his characters often melded in magical ways.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
One agent searches through system information to identify suspicious behavior, another revises security policies to prevent future threats of the same kind and a third tests the defenses of the system by staging an attack.—
Perry Carpenter,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Kecmanović, a steady pro who will test the Brazilian’s rally tolerance, isn’t an ideal opponent as Fonseca searches for his first main-draw win in New York.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
In its post announcing the upcoming roll out of parental controls, OpenAI also shared plans to route sensitive inquiries to a model of their chatbot that spends a longer time reasoning and looking through context before responding to prompts.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
3 Sep. 2025
-
This recognition leads to inbound connection requests, profile views, and eventually, inquiries.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
4 Sep. 2025
-
New research investigates the possibility that different spacecraft could visit Comet 3I/ATLAS, giving scientists a unique on-location view of the interstellar visitor, or even offering the chance to collect material that could be much older than the bodies of our solar system.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Their explorations will include speaking with conservationists, tracking wolverines in the rugged North American backcountry, examining Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and more.—
Giana Levy,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
-
American describes the broader arc as threefold—Butler’s relationship to California’s geography; her matrilineal inheritance; and finally, her visions of space travel as counterpoints to today’s privatized explorations.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment, Law & Order examines the criminal justice system and tells the stories of the police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 Sep. 2025
-
In his brilliant book A Little Devil in America, Hanif Abdurraqib examines how Black performance is woven into the fabric of American life and culture—adored, abhorred, exploited, commodified, appropriated.—
Lauren Morrow
September 9,
Literary Hub,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Further examinations revealed that the golden retriever TNNI3 mutation is autosomal recessive.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Kravitz and Butler’s choreographed intimacy and onscreen chemistry is thunderous, and the cinematographer, Matthew Libatique, gives the audience closer examinations into their rocky relationship.—
Malik Peay,
Essence,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Probes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probes. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share