variants
or reconnoitre
as in to explore
to go to (a place or area) in order to find out information especially about a military enemy; to do a reconnaissance of (a place)
An expedition reconnoitered the coast to find out the exact location of enemy forces.
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Recent Examples of reconnoiter
Some drones drop bombs, some serve as missiles, while others reconnoiter.
—
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
How Drones Challenge Snipers Unmanned Aircraft Systems, including fiber optic drones, can reconnoiter vast stretches of territory and can use a wide variety of sensors to perform surveillance.
—Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2026
What kind of action plan is visualized to reconnoiter that object?
—Leonard David, Space.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Thomas Caldwell Thomas Caldwell, a Navy veteran who once worked for the FBI, coordinated a planned armed response and engaged in reconnoitering the Capitol, prosecutors said.
—Ella Lee, USA TODAY, 26 May 2023
The paddlers quickly pulled off to the right bank, secured the canoes and set up camp, while a scouting party hacked their way through the brush to reconnoiter.
—Larry Rohter, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2023
Beginning in late 2026, Hera will reconnoiter both Dimorphos and Didymos to take measurements of the rocks and show how DART changed the system.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 29 Mar. 2023
In August, with the approach of spring, the expedition continued to reconnoiter the forbidding coast.
—Gerard Helferich, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2022
Along the way the spacecraft will scrutinize Saturn’s mysterious and spectacular rings and reconnoiter its many satellite worlds, especially Titan — the largest moon in the solar system and, it is believed, the only one with its own atmosphere.
—Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 6 Aug. 2020
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
How Drones Challenge Snipers Unmanned Aircraft Systems, including fiber optic drones, can reconnoiter vast stretches of territory and can use a wide variety of sensors to perform surveillance.
—Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2026
What kind of action plan is visualized to reconnoiter that object?
—Leonard David, Space.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Thomas Caldwell Thomas Caldwell, a Navy veteran who once worked for the FBI, coordinated a planned armed response and engaged in reconnoitering the Capitol, prosecutors said.
—Ella Lee, USA TODAY, 26 May 2023
The paddlers quickly pulled off to the right bank, secured the canoes and set up camp, while a scouting party hacked their way through the brush to reconnoiter.
—Larry Rohter, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2023
Beginning in late 2026, Hera will reconnoiter both Dimorphos and Didymos to take measurements of the rocks and show how DART changed the system.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 29 Mar. 2023
In August, with the approach of spring, the expedition continued to reconnoiter the forbidding coast.
—Gerard Helferich, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2022
Along the way the spacecraft will scrutinize Saturn’s mysterious and spectacular rings and reconnoiter its many satellite worlds, especially Titan — the largest moon in the solar system and, it is believed, the only one with its own atmosphere.
—Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 6 Aug. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reconnoiter
Verb
-
The food and travel personality explores the people, places and hidden stories behind iconic global destinations.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
-
Award-winning food and travel writer Naomi Tomky explores the world with a hungry eye.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Federal prosecutors said the men entered casinos in Los Angeles County with fake identities to scout for victims who looked like winners or who were about to cash in their chips.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
-
While scouting for a personal mountain home during Covid, the family discovered that the old Aspen Hotel was for sale.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reconnoiter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reconnoiter. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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