plural probes
1
: a slender medical instrument used especially for exploration (as of a wound or body cavity)
2
a
: any of various testing devices or substances: such as
(1)
: a pointed metal tip for making electrical contact with a circuit element being checked
(2)
: a usually small object that is inserted into something so as to test conditions at a given point
(3)
: a device used to penetrate or send back information especially from outer space or a celestial body
(4)
: a device (such as an ultrasound generator) or a substance (such as radioactively labeled DNA) used to obtain specific information for diagnostic or experimental purposes
b
: a pipe on the receiving airplane thrust into the drogue of the delivering airplane in air refueling
3
a
: the action of probing
b
: a penetrating or critical investigation
c
: a tentative exploratory advance or survey
probed; probing; probes
1
: to search into and explore very thoroughly : subject to a penetrating investigation
2
: to examine with a probe
uncrewed vehicles probed space
: to make a searching exploratory investigation
prober
noun
Synonyms
Examples of probe in a Sentence
Noun
The FBI probe did not produce any new evidence.
a congressional probe into the accusations
Verb
His questions made it clear he was probing for information.
He didn't like the police probing into his past.
He didn't like the police probing him about his past.
The doctor probed the wound with his finger.
Searchers probed the mud with long poles.
She probed the files for evidence that would help the investigation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Linda Carroll, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024
The New York governor has already spoken out against a new probe, by pointing to the federal investigation.
—The Editors, National Review, 5 Sep. 2024
Patrick Frater, Variety, 6 Sep. 2024
Like the Crumbley trials, a trial in Gray’s case likely would probe whether the Georgia shooting was reasonably foreseeable and if the father acted recklessly and with negligence, CNN’s experts said.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for probe 
Noun
The new robotic instruments, by contrast, use a jointed probe rather than a straight one, offering more mobility.
—Linda Carroll, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024
The New York governor has already spoken out against a new probe, by pointing to the federal investigation.
—The Editors, National Review, 5 Sep. 2024
Verb
While past regrets and future responsibilities collide, the film also probes the complexities of reproduction among the LGBT community.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 6 Sep. 2024
Like the Crumbley trials, a trial in Gray’s case likely would probe whether the Georgia shooting was reasonably foreseeable and if the father acted recklessly and with negligence, CNN’s experts said.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for probe
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'probe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near probe
Cite this Entry
“Probe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/probe. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
probe
1 of 2 noun1
: a slender medical instrument especially for examining a cavity (as a deep wound)
2
: a device used to penetrate or send back information especially from outer space
3
: a careful investigation
4
: an attempt to explore or learn about some unknown place
a space probe
probe
2 of 2 verb
probed; probing
1
: to examine with or as if with a probe
2
: to investigate thoroughly
prober
noun
Medical Definition
probe
1 of 2 noun1
: a surgical instrument that consists typically of a light slender fairly flexible pointed metal instrument like a small rod that is used typically for locating a foreign body (as a bullet embedded in a part of the body), for exploring a wound or suppurative tract by prodding or piercing, or for penetrating and exploring bodily passages and cavities
2
: a device (as an ultrasound generator) or a substance (as radioactively labeled DNA) used to obtain specific information (as detection of a virus or location of specific segments of a nucleic acid) for diagnostic or experimental purposes
the radioactive probe revealed the distribution of molecules in the membrane
probe
2 of 2 verb
probed; probing
: to examine with or as if with a probe
probe a wound
: to search by using a probe
probe for a bullet
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share