as in searching
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something
he raked repeatedly through his luggage, hoping that in one of the bags he would find his lost passport before his flight's departure
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of raking
Fall color doesn't have to mean a bunch of blowing and raking.
—
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2025
Operations include tractors pulling raking machines, supporting crews of laborers who pick up litter and empty trash cans by hand and beach sweepers who clear paths for pedestrians and bike trail users.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
However, those four agencies all play critical parts in California’s wildfire prevention and response efforts, from forecasting and forest management (yes, raking and cutting underbrush is included here) to post-fire disaster relief.
—Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
Vargas, like Sosa, has been raking since the All-Star break.
—Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
In renderings, the pergola seems to recede into foliage, and crowds mingle underneath in raking light.
—Sam Bloch
august 8, Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Penny became a right-wing cause célèbre, raking millions of dollars in donations toward his legal defense.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 3 Dec. 2024
Between raking leaves, aerating your lawn, adding grass seed, and more, fall is one of the busiest and most important seasons for maintaining your yard.
—Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024
Besides the pitching edge, the Dodgers’ hitters are raking, with two home runs from Andy Pages and another long ball from Mookie Betts, nine hits and a brief shortening of a 10-2 deficit.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2025
Operations include tractors pulling raking machines, supporting crews of laborers who pick up litter and empty trash cans by hand and beach sweepers who clear paths for pedestrians and bike trail users.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
However, those four agencies all play critical parts in California’s wildfire prevention and response efforts, from forecasting and forest management (yes, raking and cutting underbrush is included here) to post-fire disaster relief.
—Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
Vargas, like Sosa, has been raking since the All-Star break.
—Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
In renderings, the pergola seems to recede into foliage, and crowds mingle underneath in raking light.
—Sam Bloch
august 8, Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Penny became a right-wing cause célèbre, raking millions of dollars in donations toward his legal defense.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 3 Dec. 2024
Between raking leaves, aerating your lawn, adding grass seed, and more, fall is one of the busiest and most important seasons for maintaining your yard.
—Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024
Besides the pitching edge, the Dodgers’ hitters are raking, with two home runs from Andy Pages and another long ball from Mookie Betts, nine hits and a brief shortening of a 10-2 deficit.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raking
Verb
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While searching for Tyga's Instagram page, Drake said his app's explore page was flooded by content of the two-time WWE world champion, whose real name is Demi Bennett.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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Someone in Memphis searching for a mechanic shouldn't receive results optimized for Phoenix auto shops, even if those Phoenix businesses have technically superior traditional search engine optimization.—
Joe Toscano,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ilett has been combing the schedule.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
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Less than two weeks later, a DOGE task force arrived in Bradenton for a two-day visit, combing through files and interviewing staff.—
Josh Salman,
Miami Herald,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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So, like two detectives sniffing a break in a case, Richardson and Soto further investigated, scanning more clips in search of supporting evidence.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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At the same time, a Gen X employee might dedicate 15 minutes each morning to scanning industry headlines.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Charlotte’s second consecutive 11-play drive halted in the red zone after Harrell led the 49ers down the field with repetitive strikes through the air, finding his favorite target, Javen Nicholas, to set Charlotte up in scoring position.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Sep. 2025
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Assuring the continuation of this gem means finding spots on future schedules to place it.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Raking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raking. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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