Search Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Published on May 22, 2024
Search is the act of looking for or seeking out something or someone with the intent to find it. e.g., She spent the afternoon in a search for the perfect birthday gift.
Table of Contents
Search Definitions
To examine carefully to find something.
He searched the room for his lost keys.
To investigate or look into something thoroughly.
The detective searched the case files for clues.
To try or attempt to locate or discover something.
They searched high and low for the missing document.
To move around in, go through, or look through in an effort to find something
Searched the room for her missing earring.
Searched the desk for a pen.
To make a careful examination or investigation of; probe
Search one's conscience for the right thing to do.
To seek data matching a word, phrase, or pattern of characters in
Searched the internet for information about ostriches.
(Law) To examine (a person or property) for the purpose of discovering evidence of a crime.
To search a place or space in order to find something
Searched all afternoon for my wallet.
To make a careful examination or investigation
Searching for the right words to say.
To use a search engine or other software to find any data matching a particular pattern.
(Law) To make a search for evidence.
An act of searching.
(Law) The examination of a person or property, as by a law enforcement officer, for the purpose of discovering evidence of a crime.
A control mechanism on an audio or video player that rapidly advances or reverses the playing of a recording.
An attempt to find something.
With only five minutes until we were meant to leave, the search for the keys started in earnest.
The act of searching in general.
Search is a hard problem for computers to solve efficiently.
(transitive) To look in (a place) for something.
I searched the garden for the keys and found them in the vegetable patch.
To look thoroughly.
The police are searching for evidence in his flat.
To look for, seek.
To probe or examine (a wound).
(obsolete) To examine; to try; to put to the test.
To look over or through, for the purpose of finding something; to examine; to explore; as, to search the city.
They are come to search the house.
Search me, O God, and know my heart.
To inquire after; to look for; to seek.
I will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
Enough is left besides to search and know.
To examine or explore by feeling with an instrument; to probe; as, to search a wound.
To examine; to try; to put to the test.
To seek; to look for something; to make inquiry, exploration, or examination; to hunt.
Once more search with me.
It sufficeth that they have once with care sifted the matter, and searched into all the particulars.
The act of seeking or looking for something; quest; inquiry; pursuit for finding something; examination.
Thus the orb he roamedWith narrow search, and with inspection deepConsidered every creature.
Nor did my search of liberty beginTill my black hairs were changed upon my chin.
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;
Right of search
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
Search or seek;
We looked all day and finally found the child in the forest
Look elsewhere for the perfect gift!
Inquire into
Subject to a search;
The police searched the suspect
We searched the whole house for the missing keys
To go through a database or the internet to find information.
She searched the internet for recipes.
To probe or explore areas that are not easily accessible.
The team searched the cave for ancient artifacts.
To check a person for concealed items.
The guards searched everyone entering the building.
To make an inquiry, usually for purposes of fact-finding.
Researchers searched for a correlation between the two variables.
To browse through a list or collection to find a specific item.
He searched the library catalog for books on history.
To inspect by using specialized equipment or technology.
The team used sonar to search the lake's depths.
To make a systematic examination, especially for diagnostic purposes.
Doctors searched for the cause of her symptoms.
Search Snonyms
Examine
To inspect closely.
She examined the artifact closely in her search for markings.
Investigate
To carry out a systematic or formal inquiry to discover and examine facts.
The journalist investigated the story to find the truth.
Explore
To travel over new territory for discovery.
They explored the forest in search of a rare bird.
Probe
To physically explore or examine (something) with the hands or an instrument.
The surgeon probed the wound to search for debris.
Sift
To go through something thoroughly by sorting and carefully examining.
The archaeologist sifted the sand in search of relics.
Delve
To dig or laboriously search for information.
He delved into the archives in search of his family history.
Scrutinize
To examine something very carefully in order to discover information.
He scrutinized the contract to search for any hidden clauses.
Browse
To look through or glance at casually.
He browsed the store in search of a new jacket.
Peruse
To read or examine something with thoroughness or care.
She perused the museum exhibits, searching for the famous painting.
Query
To question or inquire about.
She queried the database to search for relevant articles.
Search Idioms & Phrases
Search me
I don't know; ask me anything.
Where's the remote? Search me!
Search engine
A system on the internet that allows users to search for information.
She used a search engine to find information about the topic.
Search and rescue
Operations that search for and provide aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.
The search and rescue team was deployed after the earthquake.
Search party
A group of people organized to look for someone lost.
A search party was formed to find the missing hiker.
In search of
Looking for something.
They went in search of the lost city.
Search high and low
To look everywhere.
I searched high and low for my missing glasses.
Search warrant
A legal document authorizing a police search.
The police had a search warrant to search the premises.
Search terms
Words used to find information in a search engine.
He entered his search terms and pressed 'Enter.'
Search field
A place on a website where you can enter terms to search the site.
Type your query into the search field at the top of the page.
Search Example Sentences
The police will search the area tonight.
They continued to search despite the rain.
She used a flashlight to search the dark attic.
Can you help me search for my wallet?
She paused her search to gather her thoughts.
He went to the library to search for books on history.
The search for the missing dog lasted all day.
Her lifelong search for peace took her around the world.
The search tool on the website is easy to use.
His search for knowledge never ends.
The children love to search for hidden treasures in the park.
He searched the database for the latest data.
She often searches her purse for her keys.
They launched a thorough search for the stolen documents.
He encouraged them to search within themselves for the answer.
Common Curiosities
What is a stressed syllable in search?
The stressed syllable in "search" is the only syllable: search.
How is search used in a sentence?
Search is often used as both a verb and a noun, referring to the act of looking for something or someone. e.g., She continued her search in the library.
How many syllables are in search?
Search has one syllable.
What is the verb form of search?
The verb form of "search" is "search." e.g., We need to search the area.
Why is it called search?
Search comes from the Old French "cercher," meaning "to seek, look for," emphasizing the process of finding something.
How do we divide search into syllables?
Search is divided into syllables like this: search.
What is the pronunciation of search?
Search is pronounced as /sɜːrtʃ/.
What is the first form of search?
The first form of "search" is "search."
What part of speech is search?
Search can be used as a noun (meaning the act of searching) or a verb (meaning to look for).
What is the root word of search?
The root of "search" comes from the Old French "cercher."
Is search a noun or adjective?
Search is primarily a noun or verb, not an adjective.
Is search an abstract noun?
Yes, when used as a noun, "search" can be considered an abstract noun as it refers to the concept or act of searching.
What is the opposite of search?
The opposite of search could be "ignore" or "overlook."
Is search a negative or positive word?
"Search" is neutral; it is neither inherently negative nor positive.
What is the second form of search?
The second form of "search" is "searched."
What is the singular form of search?
The singular form of "search" is "search."
Is search a vowel or consonant?
The word "search" starts with a consonant.
Is search a countable noun?
No, "search" as a noun is generally uncountable.
What is the third form of search?
The third form of "search" is "searched."
What is another term for search?
Another term for "search" is "seek."
What is the plural form of search?
The plural form of "search" is "searches."
Is search an adverb?
No, "search" is not an adverb.
Is the word search a Gerund?
When used as a noun, "search" can be considered a gerund, which is a verb form used as a noun.
Is the search term a metaphor?
No, "search" is typically used literally and not as a metaphor.
Is the word “search” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
In sentences, "search" can be used as a direct object. e.g., He continued his search.
Which vowel is used before search?
Typically, vowels such as "a" or "the" can precede "search," depending on the context in sentences.
Is search a collective noun?
No, "search" is not a collective noun.
Is the word search imperative?
The word "search" can be used in the imperative form as a command. e.g., "Search the area!"
Which determiner is used with search?
Determiners such as "the," "a," "my," etc., can be used with "search" depending on context.
Which preposition is used with search?
Common prepositions used with "search" include "for" and "in." e.g., "She was in search of clues."
Which conjunction is used with search?
Conjunctions like "and" or "but" can be used with "search" depending on sentence structure.
Which article is used with search?
The articles "a" and "the" are commonly used with "search," depending on the specific use in a sentence.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Term
Hurry Definition and Meaning
Next Term
Ancestor Definition and MeaningAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
