searching

[sur-ching]

adjective

1. examining carefully or thoroughly.

   a searching inspection.

2. acutely observant or penetrating.

   a searching glance; a searching mind.

3. piercing or sharp.

   a searching wind.

searching

/ ˈsɜːtʃɪŋ /

adjective

1. keenly penetrating

   a searching look

Other Word Forms

• searchingly adverb
• searchingness noun
• self-searching adjective
• unsearching adjective
• unsearchingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of searching¹

First recorded in 1570–80; search + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Investigators are searching for a motive after a gunman opened fire at a Mormon church in Michigan and set the building on fire, killing four people.

From BBC

England women's winter of turbulence led them to a summer of soul searching.

From BBC

Rescuers are searching for 17 fishermen who are among the missing after their boats were hit by huge waves.

From BBC

After that the hackers could have begun searching out access to sensitive or important BBC systems.

From BBC

Authorities are searching for a man suspected of stealing multiple packages from an apartment community in Irvine over the weekend.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• curious 
• seeking www.thesaurus.com