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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Recent Examples of raking
How To Clean Cotton/Jersey Gardening Gloves Cotton makes a good all-purpose glove for raking leaves and tidying your yard.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 June 2026
Then comes raking the clippings, bagging them up, and hauling them to the garbage.
—Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 7 June 2026
This can include flattening the hill, raking or shoveling the mound, or even using a garden hose to flood the area.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 4 June 2026
Just avoid raking clover seed after planting as this covers the seeds with too much soil and reduces germination rates.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2026
Its pointed corners fit into crevices for raking out hard-to-reach pet hair from the car’s interior, car mats or any other fabric surface.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Tourists and scientists want to know On Thursday, three tractors spent more than an hour raking the beach at South Pointe Park in Miami Beach as beachgoers weaved around them, stepping over thick piles of sargassum that turned the shoreline water a murky brown.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 May 2026
Domínguez, meanwhile, has been raking at Triple-A since missing the cut for the Yankees’ Opening Day roster.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
Pau Torres’s raking pass intended for Leon Bailey fell short.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 June 2026
Then comes raking the clippings, bagging them up, and hauling them to the garbage.
—Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 7 June 2026
This can include flattening the hill, raking or shoveling the mound, or even using a garden hose to flood the area.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 4 June 2026
Just avoid raking clover seed after planting as this covers the seeds with too much soil and reduces germination rates.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2026
Its pointed corners fit into crevices for raking out hard-to-reach pet hair from the car’s interior, car mats or any other fabric surface.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Tourists and scientists want to know On Thursday, three tractors spent more than an hour raking the beach at South Pointe Park in Miami Beach as beachgoers weaved around them, stepping over thick piles of sargassum that turned the shoreline water a murky brown.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 May 2026
Domínguez, meanwhile, has been raking at Triple-A since missing the cut for the Yankees’ Opening Day roster.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
Pau Torres’s raking pass intended for Leon Bailey fell short.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raking
Verb
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Rescue teams began searching for the daredevil and found his body about three feet below the crater's water surface after rescue efforts that lasted about four and a half hours.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
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Strings reflect shafts of light as searching piano chords hover overhead.—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Instead of combing through dozens of forecasts, users see clear guidance that matches the dates, cities, and timing of their own trip.—
Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone,
Miami Herald,
9 June 2026
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The Hollywood Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that a 30-year-old White female body was found washed up on the beach, with investigators seen combing the area for clues.—
Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Through the Project Monarch app, available for iPhone or Android, anyone with a smartphone can assist researchers in monitoring migration patterns by scanning their surroundings.—
Olivia Maule,
Mercury News,
6 Dec. 2025
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After scanning the code, the recipients might be prompted to provide personal or financial information or to download malicious software.—
Nate Trela,
AZCentral.com,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Prescott went in-depth on Thursday about how the film aspect of preparing for blitzes is one of the biggest keys in finding success when it’s thrown at him.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Dec. 2025
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Because southern Greenland’s caribou are nonmigratory, finding a herd is the second-hardest part of hunting them.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Raking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raking. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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