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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 raking
This will improve your ability to perform daily tasks like reaching the back seat of your car to grab an object, shoveling snow, or raking leaves.
—
Jenny McCoy, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025
What if your fall clean-up could involve less raking and more pumpkin spice lattes?
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2025
For larger areas or quicker cleanup, a leaf blower can be a helpful alternative to raking.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025
Platner's first job as a kid was raking blueberries and picking strawberries.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
The bear repeated the raking pounce a little higher up Duane’s back.
—Marguerite Reiss, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2025
When seeding bare areas or reseeding, cover the seed with a very thin layer of soil, approximately 1/8 inch thick, by gently raking the area after spreading seeds.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2025
Do yard work like raking leaves or digging a garden.
—Sarah Bradley, Health, 30 Sep. 2025
Then comes fall, and a lot of people think they are done with the lawn for the season, except for mowing and raking leaves.
—Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, IndyStar, 27 Sep. 2025
Jenny McCoy, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025
What if your fall clean-up could involve less raking and more pumpkin spice lattes?
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2025
For larger areas or quicker cleanup, a leaf blower can be a helpful alternative to raking.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025
Platner's first job as a kid was raking blueberries and picking strawberries.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
The bear repeated the raking pounce a little higher up Duane’s back.
—Marguerite Reiss, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2025
When seeding bare areas or reseeding, cover the seed with a very thin layer of soil, approximately 1/8 inch thick, by gently raking the area after spreading seeds.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2025
Do yard work like raking leaves or digging a garden.
—Sarah Bradley, Health, 30 Sep. 2025
Then comes fall, and a lot of people think they are done with the lawn for the season, except for mowing and raking leaves.
—Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, IndyStar, 27 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raking
Verb
-
To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching).—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Rescuers in the Philippines were still searching for more than 100 people missing, mostly in widespread flooding in central provinces.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
By Wednesday morning, law enforcement officers and workers in protective clothing were combing the area in search of the missing animals.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Both directors have observed stan-worthy deep dives on social media, especially in TikTok videos, where fans are combing through moments of foreshadowing or character details that the filmmakers weaved into the story with love.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
How the agent works Aardvark continuously monitors source code repositories, analyzing commits, scanning for vulnerabilities, and prioritizing which ones matter most.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Rather than scanning a room with his eyes, Klaus will use his paws to feel his way around.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Rutgers-Eagleton’s mid-October survey mirrored that trend, finding 42 percent of voters viewed Sherrill favorably and 45 percent unfavorably, while Ciattarelli’s numbers were 41 percent favorable and 47 percent unfavorable.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
And with 23andMe filing for bankruptcy earlier this year, her chances of finding any additional siblings may be dwindling.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Raking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raking. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share