search

an act or process of looking carefully or thoroughly for someone or something the search for the missing hikers lasted several days Synonyms hunt, quest Related Words shakedown; sweep; chase, pursuit; recon, reconnaissance, scout; canvass (also canvas), survey; exploration, probe; forage

1 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 comb, dig (through), dredge, hunt (through), rake, ransack, rifle, rummage, scour, sort (through), troll Related Words frisk, pat down, shake down; audit, check (out), examine, inspect, investigate, review, scan, scrutinize, survey; ascertain, descry, detect, determine, discover, ferret (out), find, find out, get, hit (on or upon), learn, locate, run down, scare up, track (down); grub (about), poke (around); explore, probe, prospect, skirmish, snoop; browse, glance (over), look over; peruse, study Near Antonyms hide; abandon, lose; ignore, neglect

2 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 hunt, probe, prospect, explore, skirrRelated Words reconnoiter (or reconnoitre), scout; disclose, discover, reveal, unearth; fathom, plumb, sound