search 1 of 2

noun

Definition of searchnext
as in hunt
an act or process of looking carefully or thoroughly for someone or something the search for the missing hikers lasted several days

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

search

2 of 2

verb

ˈsərch How to pronounce search (audio)
1
as in to find
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something archaeologists have begun to search the southern end of the valley, where they believe the underground tombs are located

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to explore
to go into or range over for purposes of discovery the Spanish conquistadors searched vast areas of the Southwest in their quest for the fabled cities of gold

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 search
Noun
During the search, officers allegedly found an AK-47 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, over 350 rounds of ammunition and 40 bags of fentanyl, police said. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026 Continue reading … LONG ROAD HOME — Utah teen found safe after 500-day search led investigators to alleged Snapchat contact. — FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
Investigators searched Hubbs’ home and found clothes that matched those worn by the suspect in the security camera video, according to the District Attorney’s Office. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Homicide detectives and crime scene investigators searched the area for possible witnesses and gathered evidence. — Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for search
Recent Examples of Synonyms for search
  1. hunt
  2. find
  3. explore
  4. quest
  5. scan
  6. locate
  7. comb
  8. investigate
Noun
  • The rise of affordable alternatives flips part of that playbook by celebrating the hunt itself, aka the ability to track down desirable products for less.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
  • How has the hunt for cheap Broadway tickets changed over the years?
    — Julia Edelstein, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of hunt
Verb
  • From his emergence in the mid-1950s until his passing in 2018, Taylor not only disassembled jazz and reconstructed it in his own style, but also found ways to make the world listen.
    — Levi Dayan, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Police previously said investigators found no evidence of an actual plan to carry out violence at the school.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of find
Verb
  • The proof of concept combines robotic manipulation, AI and virtual simulation to explore how robots can pick components from containers and arrange them in the correct order for vehicle assembly.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Recast as geometry, the old identities now point toward unmapped territory, raising questions that mathematicians are eager to explore.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of explore
Noun
  • Here’s more on the different paths taken by Bass and Raman in their quests to become mayor of Los Angeles.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The father takes his two sons—Ivan and Andrey—on a camping trip that becomes something of a Biblical quest, a test of will and belief.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of quest
Verb
  • It can’t be scanned in a single line or column; it is contained by no frame other than the facade itself.
    — Alec Mapes-Frances, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The spotters stand at the end of each of the aisles of the theatre-like seating area, with their backs to the horses and their eyes scanning the crowd for the slightest tick of movement to signal a bid.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of scan
Verb
  • Situated on Plaça de Catalunya, it couldn’t be better located for exploring the city centre or getting out to other districts.
    — Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
  • After taking him to his house located not too far from his law office, Gordon phoned someone.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of locate
Verb
  • The three granddaughters combing every corner of Victoria’s House—familiar terrain.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Police arrested him again in April 2023 and started combing through the forest more systematically and exhuming mass graves.
    — Jefferson Kahinju Reuters, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of comb
Verb
  • Documenting the location and the robot's identification number can help officials investigate a complaint.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Charlotte Water investigates reports of violations through staff observations and complaints from the public.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of investigate

Phrases Containing search

Browse Nearby Words

sear
search
searched
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Search.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/search. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fulsome

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All