Trivia Time

Which TV show is credited with being the first to use google as a verb?

Test Your Knowledge

Google

American  

[goo-guhl] / ˈgu gəl /

Trademark.

1. the brand name for a leading internet search engine, founded in 1998.

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verb (used with object)

Googled, Googling

1. (often lowercase) to search the internet for information about (a person, topic, etc.).

   We googled the new applicant to check her background.

verb (used without object)

Googled, Googling

1. (often lowercase) to use a search engine such as Google to find information, a website address, etc., on the internet.

Google British  

/ ˈɡuːɡəl /

noun

1. a popular search engine on the internet

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verb

1. to search for (something on the internet) using a search engine

2. 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

See Examples For:

Google Googled Googling

Google on Tuesday struck a new long-term deal with Constellation Energy, underscoring that obtaining enough power remains a critical issue for major artificial-intelligence players.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

Plus, Google tests the prospects for data centers in space and Americans turn back to smaller cars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Borrowing by firms including Google, Amazon and Microsoft hit around $500 billion in the nine months since January, and Goldman Sachs expects a further ramp-up in 2027, to $1.2 trillion.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

Bernstein analyst Sunaina Ocalan said the Google deal “reinforces the strategic value of firm, clean, reliable power” and Constellation’s role in supplying it through its nuclear footprint.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

Genie had so many questions he needed answers to—he was getting nervous about the question backup—and his dear friend Google was apparently not a friend of his grandparents.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

The sentiment struck me as both suspiciously sensible and succinct enough to survive its surroundings, so I Googled it.

From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026

And working on a historical drama, we’ve had people Google things, and in fact they Googled something about Frederick Douglass being at this very important American event.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 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

I Googled Antoine LeMaire, but nothing useful came up—not even a Facebook page or Twitter account.

From "Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel" by Harlan Coben

“I started Googling it–that’s when I discovered the bad news,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Fair warning, though: You won’t make it through this book without Googling the price of a one-way trip to Italy.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026

After Googling “Eric” and “Dominion,” Oltmann concluded that the speaker was Eric Coomer.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 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

Even now, even while actively Googling, she keeps waving her phone emphatically.

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli