investigate
verb (used with object)
to examine, study, or inquire into systematically; search or examine into the particulars of; examine in detail.
had investigated
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past perfectof investigate.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
The EU had investigated whether iMessage should also comply with the DMA but ultimately Brussels decided against more rules on the messaging service.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
Until now, no research had investigated whether a traditional placebo could influence abilities that naturally decline with age.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026
Massa believes that if F1 chiefs had investigated the incident sooner and the result had been annulled, he would have been crowned world champion.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2025
Trusty, the lawyer for Rozier, said that the NBA had investigated the player’s conduct in 2023 and determined that he had done nothing wrong.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025
A Kenyan doctor who had investigated the Monet case happened to be drinking a beer in the bar, and he struck up an idle conversation with her and mentioned Monet’s name.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
