as in searching
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something
the police scoured the city for the Typhoid Mary of this latest epidemic
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Recent Examples of scouring
That the club are scouring the market for replacements — Christos Tzolis at Club Brugge, Bilal El Khannouss at Leicester City — might indicate the direction of travel.
—
Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
After scouring prospect lists, CHSAANow all-state teams and 2024 stats, The Denver Post compiled a list of some of Colorado’s top high school football talent.
—Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 18 Aug. 2025
Designer Stephanie Calderon of Stephanie Calderon Interiors in Charlotte, North Carolina, enjoys scouring resale stores for items to style bookshelves and coffee tables.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2025
Instead of scouring the web for an explanation, use your iPhone’s camera.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scouring
Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
After scouring prospect lists, CHSAANow all-state teams and 2024 stats, The Denver Post compiled a list of some of Colorado’s top high school football talent.
—Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 18 Aug. 2025
Designer Stephanie Calderon of Stephanie Calderon Interiors in Charlotte, North Carolina, enjoys scouring resale stores for items to style bookshelves and coffee tables.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2025
Instead of scouring the web for an explanation, use your iPhone’s camera.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scouring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scouring
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
Cite this Entry
“Scouring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scouring. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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