probe

American  

[prohb] / proʊb /

verb (used with object)

probes, present (3rd person singular) probed, past participle, past probing present participle

1. to search into or examine thoroughly; question closely.

   to probe one's conscience.

   Synonyms:

   scrutinize, investigate

2. to examine or explore with or as if with an instrument.

   The dentist probed the offending tooth.

   She keeps probing her ear with a cotton swab.

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verb (used without object)

probes, present (3rd person singular) probed, past participle, past probing present participle

1. to examine or explore a matter thoroughly (sometimes followed byinto ).

   The checklist consists of a series of questions carefully designed to probe into all aspects of your business.

   The cross-examiner probed a little more before dismissing the witness.

2. to explore or search with or as if with an instrument.

   You may have to probe with the rod until you find the mouth of the pipe.

noun

probes plural

1. an act or instance of probing.

2. an investigation, especially by a legislative committee, of suspected illegal activity.

3. a tool or instrument designed for examining something, especially a slender surgical instrument for exploring the depth or direction of a wound, sinus, or the like.

4. Aerospace. space probe.

5. a projecting, pipelike device on a receiving aircraft used to make connection with and receive fuel from a tanker aircraft during refueling in flight.

6. a device, attached by cord to an oven, that can be inserted into roasts or other food so that the oven shuts off when the desired internal temperature of the food is reached.

7. Biology. any identifiable substance that is used to detect, isolate, or identify another substance, as a labeled strand of DNA that hybridizes with its complementary RNA or a monoclonal antibody that combines with a specific protein.

probe British  

/ prəʊb /

verb

1. (tr) to search into or question closely

2. to examine (something) with or as if with a probe

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noun

1. something that probes, examines, or tests

2. surgery a slender and usually flexible instrument for exploring a wound, sinus, etc

3. a thorough inquiry, such as one by a newspaper into corrupt practices

4. electronics a lead connecting to or containing a measuring or monitoring circuit used for testing

5. electronics a conductor inserted into a waveguide or cavity resonator to provide coupling to an external circuit

6. any of various devices that provide a coupling link, esp a flexible tube extended from an aircraft to link it with another so that it can refuel

7. See space probe

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prober
  noun
• reprobe
  verb
• probeable
  adjective
• unprobed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• probes
  plural

Participles

• probing
  present
• probed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• probe
  simple
• probes
  simple
• have probed
  perfect
• has probed
  perfect
• am probing
  progressive
• are probing
  progressive
• is probing
  progressive
• have been probing
  perfect progressive
• has been probing
  perfect progressive

Past

• probed
  simple
• had probed
  perfect
• was probing
  progressive
• were probing
  progressive
• had been probing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will probe
  simple
• will have probed
  perfect
• will be probing
  progressive
• will have been probing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of probe

First recorded in 1555–65; (noun) from Medieval Latin proba “examination,” Late Latin: “test,” derivative of probāre “to try, test, prove” ( see proof ( def. ), prove ( def. )); (verb) partly derivative of the noun, partly from Latin probāre

Explanation

If you probe something, you investigate it thoroughly. If you go into business with someone, you might probe her finances to make sure that she has a good track record. Although it is usually used as a verb — "the police probed the man’s disappearance" — it can also be used as a noun to describe an information-gathering device. In 1979 the United States launched the world's first space probe into outer space. It was a spacecraft rigged with cameras, which were used to photograph Jupiter and Saturn.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

probe probes probed probing

Hynd was ordered to stay away from the club and related activities while the probe is ongoing.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

These systems, Kamakoti says, rely on "red teaming" - teams that constantly probe systems for weaknesses - and "air-gapped" networks physically isolated from the internet.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

The probe was later dropped to ease Warsh's Senate confirmation, while the Supreme Court blocked Cook's firing.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Researchers have now shown that specially shaped light can act as a similar type of threaded probe, interacting differently with molecules depending on their handedness.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

"So, Dr. Kapoor, tell us about the Taiyang Shen. Why go to China to launch a probe? Why not launch it from the US?"

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

By using twisted laser beams as probes, scientists may be able to identify molecular handedness more easily and accurately.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

The report is the culmination of years of rumors and probes that have shaken up Lloyd’s, the world’s biggest insurance marketplace.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

They added that there were "profound and stark" concerns as to airworthiness, but that no investigation had ever considered the issue despite several probes into the crash.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

The commission insists it is acting to protect children, pointing to probes into TikTok, and Facebook and Instagram, over whether they keep minors safe.

From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026

Each partner group quickly sat down, buckled themselves in, and began attaching their probes to their foreheads, arms, and legs.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

“It’s easy to imagine that in six to 12 months, every application that’s facing the internet in some way is being probed by a genius-level cybersecurity attacker in the form of an agent.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 2, 2026

The business empire of Dodgers and Lakers owner Mark Walter reportedly is being probed by the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

The Securities and Exchange Commission has opened enforcement investigations into several large private-credit managers, and regulators have probed the exposure that banks have to the industry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

Interest in UFOs has been renewed in recent years as the US government probed numerous reports of seemingly supernatural aircraft, amid worries that adversaries could be testing highly advanced technologies.

From Barron's ● May 8, 2026

She used it to tap the ground like the blind lady in town, the way Caesar had probed the black water during their flight.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead

Mr. Potter is less interested combing through the Caesars’ allegedly lurid deeds than probing the workings of the state.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

An adviser’s recommendations may not always be pleasing to hear, but they flow from a more complete understanding of a client’s situation based on detailed fact-finding, probing and insight into the client’s needs.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

Binance runs crypto exchanges and provides other services around the world, but it took a severe hit when crypto markets collapsed in 2022 and regulators began probing the legality of its business.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

O’Herlihy was intellectually hungry — always probing new territory, questioning why things had to be a certain way.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

After probing the pus channel, Hamilton and the medical team had come to almost the same conclusion.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• check out
• delve into
• dig
• examine
• inquire
• interrogate
• penetrate
• poke
• scrutinize
• sift
• verify