Probe into the cause of the accident.
Source: tatoeba (47145)
Probe
/pɹoʊb/
Synonyms for "probe" (452 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (91)
Noun(30 words)
investigationadventuringanalyze biologicallyapparatusart studyauditauditing of conductautopsiesautopsyingbe investigatedburrowburrow marksburrowingcantileverscanvasscatechizingcell-based assaychallenging behaviorcheckchemical science research
Verb(13 words)
Adjective(1 words)
complete search
Strong matches (135)
enterersestimateevaluateexaminationexamineexhaustive studyexperimentexplorationexploreexplorerfathomfeel outfeelerferret outfly a kiteforagefriskgatvgauge
Show 45 more words
geminigeo probegeodetic satellitegeophysical satellitegogo intograduategraduate nursegropehearinghouse-searchhunthuntingindagateindagationindicatorinjuninquestinquire intoinquiryinquisitioninspectioninstrument carrierintelsatinvestigateinvestigationinvestigative bureaulegislative investigationlegworklicensed practical nurseloftilooklook intolpnlunalunar orbiterlunikmarinermars probesmeasuremensuratemercurymetemetermidas
Noun(49 words)
examineexaminingexcavationexhaustingexhaustsexperiment guidanceexperimentationexperimentsexploringferretingfingersfishfishesflirtforaging patternsforayforaysfthmgrepgrills
Show 29 more words
gropesgropingharryhelioshuntedinquestsinquireinquiriesinquiryinquiry basedinquiry cycleinquiry exerciseinquiry processinquisitionsinsertinstrumentinterrogateinterrogatinginterrogatorsinterviewinterview witnessesinvestigateinvestigatinginvestigation questioninvestigationslaboratory practiceletameasuring instrumentmicroscopically observed
Verb(19 words)
Adjective(2 words)
exhaustedliving subject
Related words (226)
minenavigational satellitenimbusnursenursing sisteroaoogoosopacepageospeerpeer intopegasuspenetrateperforateperquisitionperscrutationpilot balloonpioneerplumb
Show 107 more words
pokepoke aroundpoke intopossepractical nurseprivate-duty nurseprizeprobationerprobationistprobingprodprotonprypry intopublic health nursepumpquantifyquantizequestrakerandom samplerangerransackingratereadreconnoiterregistered nurseregistering rocketrelayreportresearchresearch rocketresearch satelliternrobot satelliterummagesamossamplesan marcosatellitesaturateschool nursescoutscrub nursescrupulousscrutinizescrutinysearchsearch intosearch partysearch warrantsearch-and-destroy operationsearchingsecorseesiftsiftingsistersizesize upsleuthingsoundsound outsounderspace probespace satellitespacecraftspansputnikstalkstalkingstepstill huntstraw votestudent nursestudysurgical nursesurveysurveyorsyncomsyringetake a readingtelstartest rockettouchtrained nursetransittreattrespasstrial balloontriangulateturning overunmanned satellitevaluatevaluevanguardvikingvisiting nursevoskhodweather satelliteweather vaneweathercockweighwitch huntwitch-huntwresatzond
Determiner(1 words)
more foraging
Noun(74 words)
natural language querypalpatingpawpawingpibitpingpingingpingsplumbingplumbspokespolygraphprobe thrustproboscisesproddingprodsquery databasequeryingquestionquestioning
Show 54 more words
questionsquiresquizquiz featurequiz on grammarquizzesrandom-walkresearch bacteriologistresearchesrigorous studyrovingsalliessallyschrodsscientific experimentscourscouringscourssearch algorithmsearch methodsearchessensorsipsipsskirmishesskirmishingsleuthsleuthssniffssnoopsnoutssonarsound pattern examplesound producing devicesoundingsounding exercisesoundsstabbingstilettosubject a text tosubject of researchsubject to testingtarget algorithmtertrytesttest devicetest hypothesistesting sampleteststrenchingtryvoyagerwandswhole organism level study
Verb(19 words)
Adjective(5 words)
physical searchprivate inquirysound argumenttangible exploration tasktechnical inquiries
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: investigation, adventuring, alouette, amassing evidence, analyze biologically.
- Sentence evidence is available for probe, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "probe".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "probe"
Keep "probe" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "probe" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "probe", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "probe" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
15 entriesdata collectionenquiryexaminationexplorationinquiryinstrumentinvestigateinvestigationlook intomeasurementmeasurement devicepenetrateperforateresearchsurgical instrument
More specific
15 entriesblood probecriminal probeendoscopeinquireinterrogatelogic probemoisture probeofficial probeoscilloscope probeparliamentary probepokeprodsurgical probetemperature probetest probe
Collocations
11 entriesblood probedata probedeeper probedepth probediagnostic probeoscilloscope probeprobing questionsensor probespace probesurgical probetemperature probe
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriesTranslations
27 translations across 19 languages.
Ancient Greek
1 entries- μήλη noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Arabic
1 entries- مِسْبَار noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Bulgarian
1 entries- сонда noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Catalan
1 entries- sonda noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Czech
1 entries- sonda noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
French
2 entries- explorateur noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
- sonde noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Greek
1 entries- καθετήρας noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Hebrew
1 entries- זונדה noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Italian
2 entries- sonda noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
- specillo noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Latin
2 entries- mēlōtris noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
- specillum noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Māori
2 entries- rou noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
- toromoka noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Occitan
1 entries- sonda noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Ottoman Turkish
3 entries- اسقندیل noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
- سونده noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
- میل noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Polish
1 entries- sonda noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Portuguese
1 entries- sonda noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Russian
2 entries- зонд noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
- щуп noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Spanish
2 entries- sonda noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
- tienta noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Telugu
1 entries- ఏషణి noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Turkish
1 entries- sonda noun (any of various medical instruments used to explore wounds, organs, etc)
Sample sentences
18 total sentences available.
Investigators are running a probe into what caused the crash.
Source: tatoeba (277970)
I dare not probe too deeply, lest I uncover the awful truth!
Source: tatoeba (618674)
The Russian space probe Luna 3 saw the far side of the moon for the first time in 1959.
Source: tatoeba (3600755)
Showing 4 of 18 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "probe"?
Closest matches include investigation, adventuring, alouette, amassing evidence, analyze biologically.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "probe"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.