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
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
Russia is reportedly using other, non-loitering drones, such as the Orlan-10, to reconnoiter Ukrainian positions.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 28 Mar. 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
Squat under the brush; bend to see around branches and trees; crawl to reconnoiter dense thickets.
46.
—Outdoor Life, 19 Nov. 2019
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
Russia is reportedly using other, non-loitering drones, such as the Orlan-10, to reconnoiter Ukrainian positions.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 28 Mar. 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
Squat under the brush; bend to see around branches and trees; crawl to reconnoiter dense thickets.
46.
—Outdoor Life, 19 Nov. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reconnoiter
Verb
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Want to explore the moon's ancient surface for yourself?—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
That work became the foundation for the smartwatch system now being explored with families.—
Mayo Clinic News Network,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Earlier in training camp, Snead had organized the scouting department’s annual summit.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The 31-year-old entrepreneur and first-time World Economic Forum attendee was scouting for a salmon roll at a party hosted by Digital Life Design, a media and conference business, Tuesday night at the Grandhotel Belvédère.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reconnoiter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reconnoiter. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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