as in searching
to go into or range over for purposes of discovery
soon all manner of people had arrived in the valley to prospect it for gold
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Recent Examples of prospecting
The three water companies were founded more than a century ago, when Los Angeles was still a fledgling town surrounded by farms, and miners were prospecting for gold on the slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains.
—
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Over a year ago, our sales team identified prospecting as the biggest bottleneck in its daily workflows.
—Dennis Woodside, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Over the years, many scientists have suggested that prospecting for He-3 could be accomplished using high-energy gamma rays, in the 20 megaelectron volt (MeV) region.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2025
In 2027, the company plans a prospecting mission to one of their target spots to analyze dirt samples.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Those companies, in turn, are selling their AI products to all the non-tech companies that are prospecting for gold — that is, looking for ways that AI can make their operations cheaper or more efficient.
—Maria Aspan, NPR, 30 Aug. 2025
Cadences, a feature also present in Salesforce Sales Cloud Lightning Professional, guides you through the prospecting process by mapping out activity sequences.
—Alison Barretta, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2023
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Over a year ago, our sales team identified prospecting as the biggest bottleneck in its daily workflows.
—Dennis Woodside, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Over the years, many scientists have suggested that prospecting for He-3 could be accomplished using high-energy gamma rays, in the 20 megaelectron volt (MeV) region.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2025
In 2027, the company plans a prospecting mission to one of their target spots to analyze dirt samples.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Those companies, in turn, are selling their AI products to all the non-tech companies that are prospecting for gold — that is, looking for ways that AI can make their operations cheaper or more efficient.
—Maria Aspan, NPR, 30 Aug. 2025
Cadences, a feature also present in Salesforce Sales Cloud Lightning Professional, guides you through the prospecting process by mapping out activity sequences.
—Alison Barretta, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prospecting
Verb
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That name is so common in England that searching for it would leave sleuths acting on a tip chasing endless possibilities.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
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Others are searching for cult favorite revival bags, statement ready-to-wear in line with the spring collections, or occasion attire for the season’s upcoming events.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some donors and allies have begun exploring the groundwork for a possible Rubio presidential bid after the 2026 midterm elections, according to multiple Republicans familiar with the discussions.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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Esta Isla, directed by Lorraine Jones Molina and Cristian Carretero, features a personal and poignant portrayal of the Puerto Rican experience, exploring identity, resilience and colonial legacy.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prospecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prospecting. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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