survey

1 of 2

verb

sur·​vey sər-ˈvā How to pronounce survey (audio) ˈsər-ˌvā How to pronounce survey (audio)
surveyed; surveying
Synonyms of survey

transitive verb

1
a
: to examine as to condition, situation, or value : appraise
b
: to query (someone) in order to collect data for the analysis of some aspect of a group or area
2
: to determine and delineate the form, extent, and position of (such as a tract of land) by taking linear and angular measurements and by applying the principles of geometry and trigonometry
3
: to view or consider comprehensively
4
: inspect, scrutinize
… he surveyed us in a lordly way …—Alan Harrington

intransitive verb

: to make a survey

survey

2 of 2

noun

sur·​vey ˈsər-ˌvā How to pronounce survey (audio) sər-ˈvā How to pronounce survey (audio)
plural surveys
1
: the act or an instance of surveying: such as
a
: a broad treatment of a subject
b
: poll sense 2a
2
: something that is surveyed

Synonyms of survey

Relevance

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of survey in a Sentence

Verb A total of 250 city residents were surveyed about the project. 64 percent of the people surveyed said that the economy was doing well. The teacher surveyed the room. People were surveying the damage after the storm. Engineers surveyed the property to see what could be built on it. Noun The survey found some surprising tendencies among the population. We conducted an opinion survey on the issue and found that most people agree. a survey on American drinking habits Surveys of each department were conducted earlier this year. A survey of recent corporate layoffs reveals a new trend in business management. A new land survey changed the borders of their property.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Dogs are natural lookouts who love to survey their territory. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026 The president signed an executive order in April 2025 to survey how much hospitals spend to buy drugs. — ABC News, 2 July 2026
Noun
Use anonymous pulse surveys, one-to-one conversations and a team-level trend analysis to identify friction points. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 And in Germany, surveys show AC use has jumped 6% between 2023 and 2024. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for survey

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French surveer, to look over, from sur- + veer to see — more at view

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of survey was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing survey

Rhymes for survey

See All Rhymes for survey

Browse Nearby Words

surveillant
survey
surveyable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Survey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survey. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

survey

1 of 2 verb
sur·​vey sər-ˈvā How to pronounce survey (audio)
ˈsər-ˌvā
surveyed; surveying
1
: to look over and examine closely
2
: to find out the size, shape, and position of (as an area of land)
3
: to gather information from or about
4
: to make a survey

survey

2 of 2 noun
sur·​vey ˈsər-ˌvā How to pronounce survey (audio)
sər-ˈvā
plural surveys
: the act or an instance of surveying or of applying the principles and methods of surveying
also : something that is surveyed

More from Merriam-Webster on survey

Nglish: Translation of survey for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about survey

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