verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
-
to search for (something on the internet) using a search engine
-
to check (the credentials of someone) by searching for websites containing his or her name
Etymology
Origin of Google
First recorded in 1998; after mathematical term googol
Explanation
To google is to use an online search engine to find some piece of information. You might google your favorite author to find out what other books she's written. Searching the Internet for answers to questions, details about people, map directions, and other information is a common activity for most of us, and since the 1990s, most of us have come to use the verb google to describe it. The verb comes from the Google search engine, first active in 1997, although until about 2000 it was mostly used in the phrase "Do a google on."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The leading contributor, as my colleague Queenie Wong has reported, is Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who claims to have moved out of the state, which might enable him to avoid the tax.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
He recently went to the White House to receive a medal from President Trump, alongside Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and others.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Meta, Snap, TikTok, X and Google, which owns YouTube, have all declined BBC requests for comment, and have not made public statements about the legislation.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Both Samsung and Google pack dedicated triple-camera setups or ultra-high megapixel sensors into their foldables, whereas Apple makes modest hardware compromises on its camera array to keep the Duo thin and lightweight.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
I used to go to the library to do research, but now I wanted to do it digitally through Google or Yahoo!, not just by roaming the stacks.
From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman
The sentiment struck me as both suspiciously sensible and succinct enough to survive its surroundings, so I Googled it.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
I Googled “Philadelphia public radio” and found WXPN, now my gold standard.
From Slate ● Apr. 12, 2026
Wordle even helped to end a 17-hour hostage ordeal and became the most Googled word of 2022.
From BBC ● Mar. 30, 2026
He Googled and called around to see how best to join others and resist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2026
Or, maybe it’s something I should’ve Googled to find out the answer myself—but it’s too late to backtrack now.
From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender
“I started Googling it–that’s when I discovered the bad news,” he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
We wandered around the parking lot until we found the breeziest spot, although I was also Googling “How to fly a kite successfully.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2026
I asked him: “Do you think Googling symptoms comes from a lack of trust in medical professionals?”
From Slate ● Jul. 26, 2025
I’ve spent entire evenings Googling ranch dressing varietals, decoding the semiotics of suburban chain restaurant menus, pondering the subtle thrill of foods that jiggle.
From Salon ● May 26, 2025
Thursday evening, I sit on my bed, Googling B. cepacia for the millionth time, and then there’s a clink against my door.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
