Thesaurus results for PROBING

probing 1 of 2

noun

as in investigation

a systematic search for the truth or facts about something questionings and probings by several committees into the affair

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probing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of probe

as in exploring

to search through or into tabloid reporters who seem determined to probe every detail of the singer's private life

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as in searching

to go into or range over for purposes of discovery probing the depths of the undersea trench

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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 probing

Noun

This is the kind of clever probing and intuiting that makes shows like this fun. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026 There was Wall Street Journal reporter Josh Dawsey, accepting an award for his relentless probing of the White House. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 25 July 2026 But neither of them seemed eager to undergo much emotional probing. — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026 Mission two was to do a lot of listening, a lot of probing, a lot of asking questions, skip levels to really understand the opportunity for the go forward, but also embrace what makes TIAA incredibly special. — Fortune Editors, Fortune, 22 June 2026 Davis’ ability to reflect and respond with his pithy probing of the disagreeing chord turned chaos into something cogent. — Steven D. Reske, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026 It’s composed of 22 bilaterally symmetric appendages that ring the nostrils and move independently, sweeping the substrate in continuous probing arcs. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026 Here’s a probing, exclusive, in-depth conversation Benn had with The Athletic following Monday’s practice. — Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026 The hosts also talk about Prasad’s second exit from the FDA and a congressman’s probing of the agency’s rare disease drug denials. — Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 12 Mar. 2026

Verb

The documentary angle, of course, is this great director probing the ethics in his own vocation as an intrusive force, one that shapes lives, emotions and, in this case, the weight of a genuine tragedy. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 The movie is replete with long moments of silence, intense stares and gentle teasing and probing among the four that can feel particularly electric to some viewers. — David MacK, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026 Unsurprisingly, hackers have quickly pounced on a major flaw in PHP, a scripting language used across the web, probing vulnerable sites and even trying to exploit them. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026 Children choose their own data, probing the world with little experiments rather than passively absorbing it and learn continuously. — Charles Yeomans, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Drawing on economics and game theory, and using tools that range from fluorescent quantum dots to imaging robots, her lab is probing how fungi and plants conduct their trade. — Quanta Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026 Trump continues to argue that America’s top priority is investing in AI innovation, not probing US frontier labs working out the kinks at breakneck speeds. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 15 Oct. 2026 In keeping with that anal imagery, the movie often calls to mind a colonoscopy, from the probing POV of the endoscopic camera. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026 Last ⁠week, for example, shares of online trading platform Webull dropped to a near four-month low after a congressional panel published a report probing its ties to China. — Reuters, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for probing

Noun

Court records show that the investigation into the initial allegations was inconclusive.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
Omar has denounced the investigations as a politically motivated conspiracy against her, and used it to urge supporters to donate to her reelection campaign.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of investigation

Verb

The decor nods to her career without losing sight of the hotel’s purpose as a place to unwind after a day exploring Music City.

— Tracey Teo, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Aljafari is recognized for his distinctive cinematic practice exploring memory, history, identity and the politics of images.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of exploring

Verb

Smith, who spends hours signing and searching for professional basketball and hockey players, has noticed a slight shift in their mindsets.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
The then-53-year-old Highsmith had no idea she’d been kidnapped or that her family had spent decades searching for her.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of searching

Noun

Kotlikoff did not immediately respond Tuesday to an email inquiry about Jane Doe’s letter.

— Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
The inquiry asked about the NBA’s role in the matter, possible discipline and whether the teams would be instructed to be present for the anthem before Wednesday’s Game 3.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of inquiry

Verb

As of Sunday, the Santa Monica Police Department was still investigating the source of the drugs Gerber had taken.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Fort Worth Police Department crimes against children unit detectives are investigating the case.

— Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of investigating

Noun

The national police are in possession of Thomas Markle’s computer, Philippines interior minister Jonvic Remulla told the outlet, to conduct a digital forensic examination.

— Ellise Shafer, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Just as in his examination of Captain Sully or his exploration of parenting or an episode about cloned puppies, Fielder is uninterested in the technical realities or the concrete, easily provable facts.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of examination

Verb

The recurring shape adds another detail for researchers examining reports of unexplained objects near restricted locations.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Financial Supervisory Service Governor Lee Chan-jin said regulators were examining whether the IPO would require a review under the country's rules designed to protect minority shareholders.

— Jenny Lee, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of examining

Noun

Helium plays an important role in wind, solar and nuclear energy production, space exploration, medical imaging and research.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Both shows veer into surprisingly philosophical and meta explorations of love, memory, perception, and performance.

— Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of exploration

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Style

“Probing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probing. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of probing

noun

verb

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