SEARCHES Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

searches 1 of 2

noun

plural of search

as in hunts

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

searches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of search

as in finds

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

as in explores

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 searches

Noun

In traditional YouTube searches, viewers would see a simple list of videos based on a wide variety of factors, sometimes including a customer’s prior preferences. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 31 July 2026 Sotheby’s International Realty’s 2026 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook reveals what today’s upscale buyers are prioritizing in their community and home searches. — Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Chicago, with no games, no teams hosted, basically fewer reasons to expect an outsized swell in interest,still saw bar searches nearly quadruple over that period. — Leo MacLehose, Sportico.com, 31 July 2026 Global Google searches for the Malvinas jumped 2,400% after Argentina’s semifinal against England, according to Google Trends, the largest increase in search interest since the platform began tracking data. — ABC News, 31 July 2026 For all these reasons, the shape of Russia’s war on Ukraine will continue to shift as each side searches for new ways to break the battlefield stalemate in its favor. — Ian Bremmer, Time, 31 July 2026 According to new data, Google searches for the name Rhaenyra have jumped 474% since June (the show’s third season premiered last month). — Parents, 31 July 2026 Federal agents also conducted surprise searches at a Beverly Hills mansion and took records at Ontario International Airport as part of its operation. — Pat Maio, Daily News, 31 July 2026 Cross, who was on state parole for prior robbery convictions, was arrested on state charges on the same day as the searches, according to officials. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026

Verb

Sill credited the outcome to the community, the volunteers and the dog’s own persistence, and told the outlet that searches like this one frequently end differently. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 After defeating the shark, Sara searches for another way out of the cave. — Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 29 July 2026 Reach matters less than being the name AI recommends before the customer even searches. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 The agency has also sent staff to Anson County to help run the elections office while the county searches for new leadership. — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026 More qubits could make the problem worse The team analyzed the adiabatic version of Grover’s search algorithm, a famous quantum algorithm that searches unsorted databases much faster than classical methods. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026 According to Brown, Pinterest searches for phone-free ideas are up 113%. — Vogue Business, Vogue, 21 July 2026 What data CrashStealer steals from a Mac CrashStealer searches broadly across the Mac. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026 Jackie searches for Madi, wondering if her sister is a victim or a killer while maneuvering an oppressively demanding office and reflecting on her own previous crimes. — Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for searches

Noun

For many the agency has lost its way (unless your public comments serve to restrict gopher tortoises, or applaud bear hunts or cheer for a high-speed roadway carved through conservation lands).

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 2026
This wasp hunts cicadas to feed its young, hence the common name.

— Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026

Definition of hunts

Verb

The show finds ways to expose the worst in its characters, their pettiest, most vengeful, greediest parts.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
Also screening is Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur, another feature from Cannes, following a successful company director called Gleb, who finds himself under siege from mounting corporate pressures and an increasingly unstable world.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of finds

Verb

Her research explores questions about the nature of the self, decision-making, temporal experience, philosophical methodology, causation, causal experience, time and time’s arrow, perception, mereology, constitution, and essence.

— Big Think, Big Think, 2 Aug. 2026
In the course of her stay, Birdie explores the rooms of her aunts and grandmother’s house, and has encounters with her relatives.

— Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of explores

Noun

What’s even better is that Ubisoft added more quests and filled out the narrative, rearranging it to emphasize the past and relying less on the modern-day frame that the series has been moving away from.

— Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 29 July 2026
Comeback quests Several teams hope training camp brings with it the healthy returns of some of their biggest stars.

— Mike Jones, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Definition of quests

Verb

Using software that scans DNA for the genetic signatures of ancient bacteria and viruses, the team analyzed samples from people buried at the Camarones 9 archaeological site.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 30 July 2026
One of Roman's instruments called a coronagraph is expected to revolutionize exoplanet research while WFI scans the cosmos to image around 2 billion galaxies during the telescope's main survey.

— Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of scans

Verb

Looking for Loftus’ motivations, Aviv probes the psychologist’s memories of her mentally ill mother’s probable suicide and her own childhood abuse by a babysitter.

— Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Advertisement The Children, Melissa Albert YA author Melissa Albert’s adult fiction debut probes the legacy of a long dead bestselling fantasy author who left behind many dark secrets.

— Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026

Definition of probes

Verb

Another founder, Sheridan Clayborne, built an AI agent that combs the internet for the best credit card and banking deals, netting him thousands of dollars.

— Margaux MacColl, Vanity Fair, 14 July 2026
Zayas also combs through the dark web, a criminal haven on the internet where anonymous threat actors try to cause real-world harm.

— Heather Abbott, CBS News, 7 June 2026

Definition of combs

Verb

Winger prospects Liam Greentree, Brody Lamb, Nathan Aspinall and Jacob Battaglia are all set to turn pro this season.

— Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 28 June 2026
The Dolphins doubled down on Red Raiders prospects after, earlier Friday, choosing Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez with their lone second-round pick.

— David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026