probing 1 of 2

Definition of probingnext

probing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of probe

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 probing
Noun
Davis’ ability to reflect and respond with his pithy probing of the disagreeing chord turned chaos into something cogent. Steven D. Reske, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026 It’s composed of 22 bilaterally symmetric appendages that ring the nostrils and move independently, sweeping the substrate in continuous probing arcs. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026 Here’s a probing, exclusive, in-depth conversation Benn had with The Athletic following Monday’s practice. Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026 The hosts also talk about Prasad’s second exit from the FDA and a congressman’s probing of the agency’s rare disease drug denials. Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 12 Mar. 2026 To this end, the event was likely either a misunderstanding or a deliberate probing of China’s aerial defense response. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 21 Feb. 2026 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, 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 Our measurements show a nominal amount of responsiveness to our active probing, about 3%. Alberto Dainotti, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
The Independent Office for Police Conduct, which investigates allegations of police wrongdoing, is probing the actions of the officers from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. ABC News, 3 June 2026 The market is probing the zone where the prevailing positives driving stocks higher could cross the line into too much of a good thing. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 2 June 2026 The White House had only addressed the crisis the year prior, offering a brief mention in response to a reporter’s probing question. Christina Ray Stanton, Time, 2 June 2026 New observatories and spacecraft missions are probing environments in our solar system that could potentially host life but have long remained hidden. Gideon Yoffe, The Conversation, 29 May 2026 During a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Vile was eager to chat about some things (the recording process, his musical heroes) and less keen to do much self-probing. Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2026 In a probing piece for The New Yorker, journalist Jessica Winter took a hard look at Burden’s financial profile—and incidentally turned up some holes in the narrative that has defined her divorce as tragic for chiefly financial reasons. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 28 May 2026 In 2024, city investigators began probing reports that the Sheriff’s Office improperly seized evidence from unlicensed pot shops. Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026 Two years later, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department was probing Derwick’s business dealings in Venezuela for potential corruption — an allegation that Derwick has denied. Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for probing
Noun
  • Investigating active government officials in Mexico is a new strategy for the United States, which in the past refrained from targeting sitting leaders in allied countries with criminal investigations because of the clear political ramifications.
    Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
  • On Monday, the USTR proposed a 25% duty on many Brazilian goods as a result of a Section 301 investigation into the country’s digital trade practices and preferential tariffs.
    Reuters, NBC news, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • However Imax leadership’s attitude has shifted in recent months and the company is in the early stages of exploring a sale, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 28 May 2026
  • Late last week, West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero announced during a State of the City address that the city would be exploring MLB expansion.
    Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • This season, Sugar takes on a new missing persons case, searching for the older brother of an up-and-coming local boxer, while continuing his desperate hunt for his own missing sister.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
  • Always searching, always growing, always going deeper, always chasing things outside his comfort zone.
    Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • Her hyperfocus on the leaf raises questions that extend far beyond the kitchen, inviting an inquiry into the banana plant’s movement across geographies and its role in sustaining cultural traditions.
    Sophia Rey, JSTOR Daily, 28 May 2026
  • Todd Becker, senior trial attorney at the Becker Law Group, said his firm had already received inquiries from more than 200 people impacted by the evacuation order, including many business owners looking to recoup lost income.
    Victoria Le, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Verb
  • The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the alleged assault.
    Jericka Duncan, CBS News, 2 June 2026
  • The International Criminal Court is investigating whether Israel's military campaign against Hamas in Gaza amounted to genocide.
    Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Rather than prompting examination of the systems in which those outcomes occur, a common counterargument is that attention to diversity risks lowering standards or excusing poor performance.
    Vanessa Grubbs, STAT, 1 June 2026
  • Levinson and director of photography Marcell Rév mostly left the soundstages that defined the first two seasons for an expansive, on-location examination of Southern California, from Lancaster to Long Beach.
    David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • Since arriving in Atlanta, conservators at Center for Puppetry Arts have been closely examining the nearly 900-pound figure to determine what restoration work may be needed before Kermit returns to public display.
    Brian Unger, CBS News, 1 June 2026
  • Investigators in Chicago are examining issues connected to that left-leaning nonprofit organization American Future Republic, which Hoffman is listed as the president over, according to Influence Watch.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
Noun
  • What results is a hallucinatory exploration of power, control, desire, and — that hottest of fascinated feelings right now — obsession.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 June 2026
  • Louise Prockter, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, said the spacecraft’s findings will continue supporting future exploration efforts.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Probing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probing. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

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