Search Definition & Meaning

search
noun
  1. the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone
  2. an investigation seeking answers; "a thorough search of the ledgers revealed nothing"; "the outcome justified the search"
  3. an operation that determines whether one or more of a set of items has a specified property; "they wrote a program to do a table lookup"
  4. the examination of alternative hypotheses; "his search for a move that would avoid checkmate was unsuccessful"
  5. boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas; "right of search"
verb
  1. try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of; "The police are searching for clues"; "They are searching for the missing man in the entire county"
  2. search or seek; "We looked all day and finally found the child in the forest"; "Look elsewhere for the perfect gift!"
  3. inquire into; "the students had to research the history of the Second World War for their history project"; "He searched for information on his relatives on the web"; "Scientists are exploring the nature of consciousness"
  4. subject to a search; "The police searched the suspect"; "We searched the whole house for the missing keys"

Synonyms for search

explore verb

inquire into; "the students had to research the history of the Second World War for their history project

♫ Rhymes
hunt noun

Englishman and Pre-Raphaelite painter (1827-1910) United States architect (1827-1895) British writer who defended the

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hunting noun

the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport the activity of looking thoroughly in order to

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look noun

the feelings expressed on a person's face; "a sad expression"; "a look of triumph

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
lookup noun

an operation that determines whether one or more of a set of items has a specified property

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research noun

systematic investigation to establish facts a search for knowledge

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searching adj

diligent and thorough in inquiry or investigation; "a probing inquiry

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
seek noun

the movement of a read/write head to a specific data track on a disk try to get or reach; "seek a position

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"Search" in song lyrics

See how search is used in real songs:

  • "Find out where she works, go online do a search"
    7L & Esoteric — Stalker
  • "I used to seek and seek, search and search"
    Afroman f/ Quarter Peace Quartet — God Has Smiled on Me
  • "You see my excerpts got eskimos in igloos sweatin and seek in search"
    Afu-Ra — Hip Hop

Words that rhyme with search

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Usage tips for "search"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "search" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for search to find words that pair well.

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♫ Rhymes with search ↔ Synonyms for search 🔬 Words containing search

Frequently asked questions

What does search mean?
the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone an investigation seeking answers; "a thorough search of the ledgers revealed nothing"; "the outcome justified the search" an operation that determines whether one or more of a set of items has a specified property; "they wrote a program to do a table lookup" the examination of alternative hypotheses; "his search for a move that would avoid checkmate was unsuccessful" boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas
What part of speech is search?
Search is a noun and a verb.
How many definitions does search have?
Search has 9 definitions across 2 parts of speech (noun, verb).

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