probing
Americanadjective
noun
-
the act or practice of examining, investigating, or exploring something in a deep or searching way.
Constant probing of the night sky by scientists reveals an abundance of activity within our solar system.
-
the act of examining or exploring something by means of a probe or any of various instruments, devices, etc..
Probing of the blocked duct was done under anesthesia.
-
Computers. the process of scanning a network, database, webpage, web app, etc., in order to obtain information about its structure and any security weaknesses that could be used to launch an attack: undertaken either maliciously by hostile parties, or diagnostically and preventively by those wishing to improve security.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of probing
First recorded in 1660–70; 2000–05 gauging for def. 3; probe ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective sense; probe ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun senses
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.
Paramount Skydance has defended its attempt to buy the legendary Warner Bros. studio, in a letter to California's top lawyer whose office is probing the $110 billion bid, US media reported Tuesday.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
But that "magic moment" on a famous night in north London came from centre-back Gabriel as Atletico were probing for a response to Saka's opener.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
Federal investigators probing the UPS disaster mentioned similarities between the November accident and the 1979 crash of American Airlines Flight 191, which involved a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 passenger jet.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
"When you're probing something new, you don't have a lot of data to train AI," Nemenman explains.
From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2026
When elephants walk through the cave at night, they navigate by their sense of touch, probing the floor ahead of them with the tips of their trunks.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
Definitions 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.
