research
Americannoun
-
research
plural
verb (used without object)
-
researches,
present (3rd person singular)
-
researched,
past participle, past
-
researching
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
researches,
present (3rd person singular)
-
researched,
past participle, past
-
researching
present participle
noun
verb
Synonym Usage
See investigation.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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researchernoun
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researchistnoun
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underresearchverb (used with object)
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proresearchadjective
-
researchableadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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researchsimple
-
researchessimple
-
have researchedperfect
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has researchedperfect
-
am researchingprogressive
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are researchingprogressive
-
is researchingprogressive
-
have been researchingperfect progressive
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has been researchingperfect progressive
Past
-
researchedsimple
-
had researchedperfect
-
was researchingprogressive
-
were researchingprogressive
-
had been researchingperfect progressive
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.
See Examples For:
Other Vanguard research finds that many people leave IRA accounts in cash, rather than investing the funds, and that could severely affect account growth.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
Mr. Masko twice references Dartmouth’s Sian Beilock his op-ed wherein he argues for the separation of AI research from undergraduate education.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
"The ECB has equipped itself with increasingly flexible tools," Frederik Ducrozet, head of strategy and macroeconomic research at Pictet Wealth Management, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
These symptoms are typically studied as separate features of the condition, but new research suggests they may have more in common than previously recognized.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026
One of Oppenheimer’s bankers, who hoped to be hired by Aames, stomped around the research department looking for anyone who knew anything about the mortgage business.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Rispoli writes Goblikon’s jokes, massages his hump and researches topics for his podcast.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
James Millward, a Georgetown University historian who researches Xinjiang, said China drew inspiration from how the U.S. took control of the American West and suppressed Native Americans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
"The recent increases in space spending elsewhere in Europe matter," says Gabriele Piazza, an economist at the London School of Economics who researches government procurement of advanced technology.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Your wife and her siblings are the “primary grievers,” says Joanne Cacciatore, a professor at Arizona State University who researches traumatic grief.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
“Well, then, what better place to start my fresh researches than here, at Hogwarts?” said Voldemort.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Bottom line: Creatine is a widely researched supplement that is considered safe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
Even so, this book—the first comprehensive Debs biography since Nick Salvatore’s Bancroft Prize-winning classic of 1982—is competently researched, colorful and occasionally moving.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
He said the battery was stolen a few months later and they researched a new one, but it would have been "quite a lot of money and I couldn't afford it at the time".
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Born and raised in Wenatchee, Wash., Xavier earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Stanford University, where he researched the regulation of prison phone-call rates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
And, with his help, by spring I have a 112-page thesis, researched, footnoted, documented, and neatly bound in black leather.
From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
But there’s nothing charming about composite decking, which is what I found myself researching when our wood started rotting under the weight of New England winter.
From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026
I have spent nearly two decades researching how to control autonomous systems, and I co-founded a company, Config Dynamics, that works on the problem.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
After researching your book, what have you found about people’s common understanding of Rod Serling and “The Twilight Zone” that might not be entirely accurate?
From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026
“When we started researching and looking at other books, TV shows and movies about vampires, none of them were consistent,” Wiseman says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
They put in another two hours researching the market, designing the UI, and getting started on the wireframe and storyboard.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
