research
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
Synonym Usage
See investigation.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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researchistnoun
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underresearchverb (used with object)
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researchernoun
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proresearchadjective
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researchableadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has researchedperfect 3rd person singular
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have researchedperfect
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am researchingprogressive 1st person singular
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are researchingprogressive
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is researchingprogressive 3rd person singular
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researchessingular 3rd person
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has been researchingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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have been researchingperfect progressive
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researchingparticiple
Past
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had researchedperfect
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was researchingprogressive singular
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researchedsimple
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had been researchingperfect progressive
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were researchingprogressive plural
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researchedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of research
First recorded in 1570–80; (verb) from Middle French recercher “to seek,” Old French, equivalent to re- re- + cercher search; (noun) from Middle French recerche
Explanation
In their spare time, teenagers LOVE doing extra research, by investigating the facts of a certain subject and studying and recording what they learn. And if you believe that, you need to do more research on the habits of teenagers. Research comes from the Old French word recercher, meaning "seek out," or "search closely." When you do research, you are searching for knowledge and facts. Although you write plenty of research papers in college, on anything from the Industrial Revolution to the meaning behind a fur-lined teacup, the term is often used when talking about science, because scientists use step-by-step research to prove what is true, or not true, in their line of work.
Vocabulary lists containing research
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Journalism
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Academic Vocabulary: Core Tier 2 Words, List 9
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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.
Bankman-Fried was given a 25-year sentence after he was convicted of multiple federal charges related to FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange that he founded and led, and its related company Alameda Research.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
"Is the iPhone Birth Control?" asked a paper published Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research, delving into why US fertility rates have fallen by 22 percent since 2007.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
Gold dipped below a key technical level as well on Friday — its 200-day moving average of $4,443.4 per ounce, noted Ed Yardeni, founder of Yardeni Research.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
More Americans now say the energy-hungry facilities have more downsides than positives, according to the Pew Research Center, and 71% oppose having one built in their own area, according to a March Gallup survey.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
Since the Research Corporation already held his patent on the cyclotron, which was the only practical apparatus for manufacturing radioactive substances, “therefore it is not necessary to have a patent on the substances themselves.”
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
