search
Americanverb (used with object)
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to go or look through (a place, area, etc.) carefully in order to find something missing or lost.
They searched the woods for the missing child. I searched the desk for the letter.
- Synonyms:
- investigate
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to look at or examine (a person, object, etc.) carefully in order to find something concealed.
He searched the vase for signs of a crack. The police searched the suspect for weapons.
- Synonyms:
- inspect
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to explore or examine in order to discover.
They searched the hills for gold.
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to look at, read, or examine (a record, writing, collection, repository, etc.) for information.
to search a property title; He searched the courthouse for a record of the deed to the land.
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to look at or beneath the superficial aspects of to discover a motive, reaction, feeling, basic truth, etc..
He searched her face for a clue to her true feelings.
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to look into, question, or scrutinize.
She searched her conscience.
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(of natural elements) to pierce or penetrate.
The sunlight searched the room's dark corners.
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to uncover or find by examination or exploration (often followed byout ).
to search out all the facts.
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Military. to fire artillery over (an area) with successive changes in gun elevation.
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Digital Technology. to electronically retrieve data, web pages, database records, or other information from (files, databases, etc.) by typing relevant terms into a search engine or other search tool.
Most of us have searched the internet for medical advice.
verb (used without object)
noun
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the act of searching; careful examination or investigation.
Her date with the guy she met online went badly, so her search for “Mr. Right” continues.
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an instance of this.
Did the search turn up any clues?
- Synonyms:
- scrutiny, inspection
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the practice, on the part of naval officers of a belligerent nation, of boarding and examining a suspected neutral vessel at sea in order to ascertain its true nationality and determine if it is carrying contraband.
the right of visit and search.
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Digital Technology. the act or process of electronically retrieving data, web pages, database records, or other information from files, databases, etc., as in
A search of the article turned up two references to my company.
idioms
verb
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to look through (a place, records, etc) thoroughly in order to find someone or something
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(tr) to examine (a person) for concealed objects by running one's hands over the clothing
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to look at or examine (something) closely
to search one's conscience
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to discover by investigation
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surgery
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to explore (a bodily cavity) during a surgical procedure
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to probe (a wound)
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(tr) military to fire all over (an area)
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computing to review (a file) to locate specific information
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archaic to penetrate
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informal I don't know
noun
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the act or an instance of searching
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the examination of a vessel by the right of search
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computing
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a review of a file to locate specific information
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( as modifier )
a search routine
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international law the right possessed by the warships of a belligerent state in time of war to board and search merchant vessels to ascertain whether ship or cargo is liable to seizure
Usage
What is a basic definition of search? Search means to look to find something that is missing or whose location has been forgotten or is unknown. It also means to carefully examine a person or thing to find something that is hidden. A more modern meaning of search is to enter a query on a search engine or website in order to find a specific page or piece of information. Search is also used as a noun to refer to the process of looking for something. Search has many other senses as both a verb and a noun. Most generally, search means to look for something. It usually implies something more thorough than just looking. Real-life examples: People search for buried treasure, missing children, and things that they have lost, among many other things. Sometimes, people are said to search for abstract things, such as meaning or happiness. Used in a sentence: We searched everywhere in the house for my sister’s missing toy. Search also means to look closely at or examine a person or thing to find something that may be concealed or hidden. Real-life examples: Police and security guards search people to check for weapons or illegal items they may be hiding on themselves or in something they own. Collectors or appraisers will often search an item for damage or signs that something may be fake. Used in a sentence: The art expert searched the statue to find the sculptor’s trademark signature that proved it was genuine. Search is also commonly used in the context of searching the internet, a website, or an individual webpage. Real-life examples: When you use a search engine, you enter a search term in order to view the search results to find what you’re looking for. This process is called a search. Used in a sentence: I searched for the exact phrase, but there were no results, so I tried another search using only keywords. As a noun, search also commonly refers to the process of trying to find something. An investigation is a kind of search for the truth. Real-life examples: Police often conduct searches to find missing people or suspects. People participate in or start searches focused on finding many different things, such as romantic partners, colleges, missing wallets, or answers to questions. Used in a sentence: I haven’t made much progress in my search for the perfect birthday present for my girlfriend.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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presearchnoun
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searchablenessnoun
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searchernoun
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undersearchnoun
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outsearchverb (used with object)
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searchableadjective
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unsearchedadjective
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well-searchedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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searchsimple
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searchessimple
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have searchedperfect
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has searchedperfect
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am searchingprogressive
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are searchingprogressive
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is searchingprogressive
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have been searchingperfect progressive
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has been searchingperfect progressive
Past
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searchedsimple
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had searchedperfect
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was searchingprogressive
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were searchingprogressive
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had been searchingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of search
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb serchen, cerchen, from Anglo-French sercher or directly from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre “to go around,” derivative of Latin circus “circle”; noun derivative of the verb
Explanation
To search is to look for something. A search party is a group of people looking for something together. Their search may take a long time. If they're in the army, they might be on a mission to search and destroy. Search is one of the many words in English that have taken on a new meaning related to computers. To search the Web, or perform a search is to use a computer to find information on the Internet. The verb search is from Late Latin circare "to travel through," from Latin circus "circle." The original meanings of this verb in English were to dig for something, then, to overrun or occupy by force.
Vocabulary lists containing search
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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.
See Examples For:
The couple, who have two children, also spoke about their relocation from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas, in search of a slower pace and easier travel while touring.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Mark, a former Dauphin mayor, was arrested during a police search on 7 July.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Ruemmler is playing a key role in the search.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
The Civil Guard police planned another search of the affected area Sunday to ensure no victims remain unaccounted for.
From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026
Still, it was safest to prepare for search and imprisonment.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
“People who use AI and market themselves as using AI in their job searches are more likely to get job offers.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
The figures are based on online searches, made on TravelSupermarket from 18 April to 17 June, for all-inclusive, seven-night family holidays in August 2025 and 2026.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
Constitutional safeguards normally require a court order prior to searches or seizures, and seizing a child from their parent is one of the most extreme steps the government can take.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
Ten days after the double shocks, which came just 38 seconds apart, rescue teams are starting to wrap up searches for survivors while families still try to recover bodies of loved ones from the wreckage.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
“Um…” Dad searches his wallet and comes up with a five-dollar bill.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
SAN FRANCISCO—In the months after Sam Kirchner disappeared in November, Matthew Hall searched for him on city streets where homeless live and in wooded hills where campers hide away.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
He said Spain's Civil Guard police had searched the affected areas without finding any further victims, although he cautioned that the search was continuing.
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
They searched the house, took the family's phones, and returned the next morning, he added.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
For decades, astronomers have searched for the universe's earliest quasars because they preserve valuable information about how the first galaxies and supermassive black holes came into existence.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
He had searched every one of those sickeningly quaint villages, with their happy yodelers and endless mugs of hot chocolate, but to no avail.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Singaporean retiree Ernest Phua turned to Xiaohongshu to plan trips to Guangdong and Yunnan in China, searching for "travel strategy" in Mandarin to find recommendations.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
In theory, this is the kind of wall AI was built to break, by searching through the accumulated knowledge of science and uncovering possibilities no human researcher would have found.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
Emergency teams have been searching at a waterfall beauty spot near Loch Lomond after a woman was reported in difficulty in the water.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
It’s the result of an organic movement that saw immigrants and their offspring reaching across the border in greater numbers, searching, some said, for acceptance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026
“Did you sleep well?” she asked with a searching look, as if she were trying to see the rumpel that bound me.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
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.
