SEARCHING Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

searching

verb

present participle of search

as in combing

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in exploring

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 searching People have been searching the barrier island on foot, as well as using planes and boats. — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 6 July 2026 After the girl began breathing, Horne began searching for the third child. — Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 July 2026 Mounds of rubble and partially collapsed buildings that were once crowded with people searching for survivors now lie abandoned. — Catherine Ellis, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026 At a moment when business leaders are searching for new engines of economic growth, one of the country’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial forces has been hiding in plain sight. — Anthony Hernandez, Fortune, 5 July 2026 Sixty years later, young Alma Singer begins searching for the writer of her mother’s favorite book, hoping to bring romance to her grieving parent. — The Know, Denver Post, 5 July 2026 The announcement comes as technology companies continue searching for reliable, around-the-clock electricity to support rapidly expanding computing infrastructure. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026 Plus, Brazilian fans and players were left distraught and searching for answers after an elimination by Norway, whose striker Erling Haaland solidified his superstar status with another brace. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 6 July 2026 The film was made with the collaboration of Colombian groups of searching mothers, Mafapo, Corocoras del Llano, El Tente and ASOVIG. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 6 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for searching

Verb

Rescuers have been combing through the rubble of the hotel in a desperate attempt to save any survivors.

— Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
Watchers of the original have been combing through the unrated version, which lists the same runtime as the original, looking for differences.

— Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of combing

Verb

The company is exploring strategies that emphasize domestic manufacturing and supply chain resilience, reflecting a growing focus on reducing dependency on complex global cold-chain networks.

— Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Arsenia envisions a yearlong series of programs recognizing Black architects, scientists, musicians and artists while exploring the people whose contributions helped build both Greenwood Baptist Church and the city around it.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026

Definition of exploring

Verb

More than a week after the disaster, search-and-rescue operations remain active, though hopes of finding additional survivors are rapidly fading.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
The family pursued legal action after finding that their pool was not built according to code, and put the settlement money toward founding a water safety nonprofit, The Zac Foundation.

— Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of finding

Verb

At the time, AFTVnews reported that two of the apps served as residential proxy providers and were considered riskware, and that the other two had APK files that were flagged by virus-scanning tools.

— Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
AmbiStack takes over downstream by scanning and stacking cases for receiving.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of scanning

Verb

The utility said around noon that crews are in the process of locating valves to get water pumping again, but repairs might take 12-16 hours.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
Friends who tried locating Chase were said to have been concerned about her living situation in recent years.

— Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026

Definition of locating

Verb

The federal government and states have begun investigating pricing strategies that companies report have led to higher profits.

— Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Human remains were found in the chimney of a public school in Queens, New York, on Tuesday morning while officials were investigating a foul odor, according to police.

— Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of investigating

Verb

The British established control of Florida after the French and Indian War but left little lasting footprint in what is now Miami beyond surveying the region and developing plans for future settlement.

— Hank Tester, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Killian is part of a group surveying PE teachers about the amount of physical activity opportunities available in their schools.

— Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 July 2026

Definition of surveying

Verb

Shopping for cheap designer clothing typically means hoping to get lucky at your local Goodwill or scouring resale racks at Crossroads and Buffalo Exchange.

— Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 30 June 2026
However, the announcement on Tuesday underscores that Isaacman and his team are scouring NASA for hardware and other tools to advance the agency’s mandate to return to the Moon and to build a surface base.

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026