explore

[ik-splawr, -splohr]

verb (used with object)

explored, exploring 

1. to traverse or range over (a region, area, etc.) for the purpose of discovery.

   to explore the island.

2. to look into closely; scrutinize; examine.

   Let us explore the possibilities for improvement.

   Synonyms: survey, investigate, research, study, probe

3. Surgery.,  to investigate into, especially mechanically, as with a probe.

4. Obsolete.,  to search for; search out.

verb (used without object)

explored, exploring 

1. to engage in exploration.

explore

/ ɪkˈsplɔː /

verb

1. (tr) to examine or investigate, esp systematically

2. to travel to or into (unfamiliar or unknown regions), esp for organized scientific purposes

3. (tr) med to examine (an organ or part) for diagnostic purposes

4. obsolete,  (tr) to search for or out

Other Word Forms

• explorable adjective
• explorability noun
• exploringly adverb
• reexplore verb
• unexplorable adjective
• unexplored adjective
• explorer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of explore¹

First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin explōrāre “to search out, examine,” equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ ( def. ) + plōrāre “to cry out,” probably originally with reference to hunting cries

Word History and Origins

Origin of explore¹

C16: from Latin explōrāre, from _ex- ¹ + plōrāre to cry aloud; probably from the shouts of hunters sighting prey

Example Sentences

Spanning eight episodes each, both series explore the circumstances that gave rise to horrific crimes — from dynastic hubris, corruption and greed to societal prejudice and lazy law enforcement.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"In our paper, we explored the situation where a nearby pair of supermassive black holes produces a particularly strong signal," Asada says.

Read more on Science Daily

The taskforce will now "engage directly with basketball stakeholders and the UK government to explore and propose an interim operational framework for the top-tier men's national competitions".

Read more on BBC

As she did in the novel “No One Is Talking About This,” Ms. Lockwood deploys a wildly comic voice to explore big questions about suffering and selfhood.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It’s all part of the high school experience — experimenting, exploring and dealing with the positives and negatives that happen to everyone in their teenage years.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• analyze 
• delve into www.thesaurus.com
• examine 
• probe 
• research 
• scrutinize 
• search 
• seek 
• test 
• try