SCOURING Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

scouring

verb

Definition of scouring

present participle of scour

as in searching

to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something the police scoured the city for the Typhoid Mary of this latest epidemic

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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 scouring Kyiv’s European partners have been scouring the world for Patriot missiles but have so far been unable to meet Ukraine’s modest request of 300 interceptors to get through the winter. — Eric Ciaramella, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2026 This marked the first time Sanders had been asked about the viral situation, which left college football fans scouring game footage in an attempt to determine whether the script was legitimate. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Well, the plan is to be aggressive in scouring free agency and the trade market. — Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2026 The biggest clubs have dozens of part-time and casual scouts scouring local clubs at young age groups. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 By scouring countless Reddit threads, the company was able to compile a list of the most controversial decor trends, and you might be surprised by what made the list. — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2026 Search aircraft and ships on Tuesday were scouring the area where the cargo ship MV Ocean Winner reportedly sunk Saturday about 276 miles (444 kilometers) from the Paradip coast of India's eastern Odisha state. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 And some local activists and internet sleuths are scouring the hillsides and topo maps trying to determine which properties would benefit most from the recent tree poisonings. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 So the designers essentially winged it, scouring old film books and blogs for any kind of direction. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scouring

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

Verb

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
Stocks, the OneLegacy nurse, realized OPOs have data that could help patients advocate for themselves, and started combing records.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of combing

Browse Nearby Words

scourging

scouring

scour(s)

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“Scouring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scouring. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of scouring

verb

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