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
Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 20 Nov. 2024
Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc. — a subsidiary of American grocery giant Kroger — paid $1 million in fines and fees following a probe into its package and labeling practices, state regulators announced Tuesday.
—Genevieve Redsten, Journal Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024
Trefis Team, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Days later, an independent investigation began to probe the university’s safety policies and procedures.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for probe 
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Noun
According to a news release from the agency, CSB Chairperson Steve Owens said a six-person team of investigators will arrive at the Payne Street site Thursday to begin a probe into the incident that killed two and injured 11 others on Nov. 12, and damaged several nearby homes and businesses.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 20 Nov. 2024
Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc. — a subsidiary of American grocery giant Kroger — paid $1 million in fines and fees following a probe into its package and labeling practices, state regulators announced Tuesday.
—Genevieve Redsten, Journal Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
In August, Hindenburg Research pointed to multiple red flags in the company’s accounting practices, and The Wall Street Journal reported in late September that the U.S. Justice Department may be probing the company, although the investigation was reportedly in its early stages at the time.
—Trefis Team, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Days later, an independent investigation began to probe the university’s safety policies and procedures.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for probe
Dictionary Entries Near probe
Cite this Entry
“Probe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/probe. Accessed 28 Nov. 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
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