synonym for research as a verb

Synonyms of research

• as in investigation
• as in to explore
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Thesaurus Definition of research

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Synonyms & Similar Words

• investigation
• exploration
• examination
• inquisition
• disquisition
• questionnaire
• interrogation
• reinvestigation
• soul - searching
• cross - examination
• questionary
• self - examination
• self - reflection
• self - exploration
• going - over
• self - scrutiny
• self - questioning

Thesaurus Definition of research  (Entry 2 of 2)

• investigate
• look (into)
• inquire (into)
• delve (into)
• check up on
• skim (through)
• thumb (through)
• reinvestigate

Thesaurus Entries Near research

Cite this entry.

“Research.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/research. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on research

Nglish: Translation of research for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of research for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about research

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noun as in examination, study

Strongest matches

analysis , exploration , inquiry , investigation , probe

Strong matches

delving , experimentation , groundwork , inquest , inquisition , probing , quest , scrutiny

Weak matches

fact-finding , fishing expedition , legwork , R and D

verb as in examine, study

analyze , consult , explore , investigate , probe , scrutinize

experiment , inquire

do tests , look into , look up , play around with , read up on

Discover More

Related words.

Words related to research are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word research . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

noun as in inspection, examination

• investigation

verb as in put in a specific context

• investigate

verb as in dig into task, action

• leave no stone unturned
• really get into
• turn inside out

verb as in investigate; discover

• bring to light
• come across
• come up with
• search high and low
• turn upside down

Viewing 5 / 43 related words

Example Sentences

The duo spent the first year in research and engaging with farmers.

Dan Finn-Foley, head of energy storage at energy research firm Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables, compared Google’s plan to ordering eggs for breakfast.

Users will give Deep Longevity the right to conduct anonymized research using their data as part of the app’s terms and conditions, Zhavoronkov said.

There’s also the Wilhelm Reich Museum, located at “Orgonon” in Rangeley, Maine, which was previously Reich’s estate—where he conducted questionable orgone research in the later years of his career.

When we started doing research on these topics, we were too focused on political institutions.

Have you tried to access the research that your tax dollars finance, almost all of which is kept behind a paywall?

Have a look at this telling research from Pew on blasphemy and apostasy laws around the world.

And Epstein continues to steer money toward universities to advance scientific research.

The research literature, too, asks these questions, and not without reason.

We also have a growing body of biological research showing that fathers, like mothers, are hard-wired to care for children.

We find by research that smoking was the most general mode of using tobacco in England when first introduced.

This class is composed frequently of persons of considerable learning, research and intelligence.

Speaking from recollection, it appears to be a work of some research; but I cannot say how far it is to be relied on.

Thomas Pope Blount died; an eminent English writer and a man of great learning and research.

That was long before invention became a research department full of engineers.

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On this page you'll find 76 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to research, such as: analysis, exploration, inquiry, investigation, probe, and delving.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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Definition of research verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• research (something) to research a topic/subject
• She's in New York researching her new book (= finding facts and information to put in it) .
• They began researching potential buyers for their product.
• The book has been meticulously/exhaustively/thoroughly researched .
• They spent days researching in the school library.
• research how, what, etc… We have to research how the product will actually be used.
• The site offers basic tips on how to research a topic.
• Students must research their chosen topic and write a dissertation.
• She spent several months researching the subject.
• She researches the history of experimental film.
• He researched the history of colonial Brazil to produce the exhibition.
• He is currently researching a biography of the writer Laurence Sterne.
• While researching this article, I discovered some fascinating facts.
• If you know what treatments are available then you can research your options.
• We spent months researching the feasibility of the idea.
• This meticulously researched volume was worth the wait.
• Everything in the film has been exhaustively researched, from the uniforms and guns down to the underwear the soldiers wear.
• The article was extensively researched, with the authors talking to hundreds of teenagers.
• This searing documentary about the atrocities of war is painstakingly researched but hard to watch.
• The book has been poorly researched.
• The experience of being a personal carer has been well researched.
• She spent some time researching what gaps there were in the childcare market.
• I researched how deaf people relate to music.
• Scientists are still researching whether or not booster shots will be needed after the initial inoculation.
• I spent two years carefully researching into his background.
• I have been researching on the internet.
• We can help you research more effectively online.
• He was researching for his thesis on Indian railways.
• exhaustively
• extensively

Take your English to the next level

The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

  Vocabulary      

What is another word for research ?

Synonyms for research rɪˈsɜrtʃ, ˈri sɜrtʃ re·search, this thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word research ., wiktionary rate these synonyms: 2.0 / 7 votes.

research noun

Synonyms: investigation , exploration , examination , study , researches , inquiry , scrutiny

To search or examine with continued care; to seek diligently.

Synonyms: investigation , researches , exploration , examination , study , inquiry , scrutiny

• research verb

To make an extensive investigation into.

Synonyms: scrutiny , examination , study , inquiry , investigation , exploration , researches

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms Rate these synonyms: 3.7 / 3 votes

Synonyms: investigation , inquiry , scrutiny , examination , exploration , learning , lore , discovery , elaboration , elimination

Antonyms: ignorance , superficiality , sciolism , misinvestigation , shallowness , oversight , inobservance

Princeton's WordNet Rate these synonyms: 1.8 / 5 votes

systematic investigation to establish facts

Synonyms: enquiry , inquiry

inquiry, enquiry, research verb

a search for knowledge

"their pottery deserves more research than it has received"

Synonyms: enquiry , inquiry , interrogation , query , question

attempt to find out in a systematically and scientific manner

"The student researched the history of that word"

Synonyms: search , explore

research, search, explore verb

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"

Synonyms: seek , search , explore , look , look for

Matched Categories

• Investigate
• Investigation

Dictionary of English Synonymes Rate these synonyms: 3.0 / 2 votes

Synonyms: investigation , inquiry , scrutiny , examination , exploration , study , careful search

PPDB, the paraphrase database Rate these paraphrases: 0.0 / 0 votes

List of paraphrases for "research":

search , investigation , study , investigations , recherche , studies , inquiry , searches , searching , researches , investigative , recherches , researching , investigational , researchers , quest , ricerca , r , investigación , studying , finding , investigaciones , forschung , looking , retrieval , fact-finding , researcher , investigatorship , investigate , enquiry , seeking , pursuit , investigating , pesquisa , studied , examine , onderzoek , investigatory , research-based , inquiries

How to pronounce research?

How to say research in sign language, words popularity by usage frequency, how to use research in a sentence.

Azzeddine Azzam :

I've done some research about this... trying to find out how markets will perform if there is what I call an intervention by the government.

Monica Crowley :

I am delighted that they have concluded that there was no research misconduct, as I have maintained all along, i was also happy to address any inadvertent and honest errors and update the work.

Van Wingerden :

We try to be as circular as can be and it's still a (matter of) research how we can find out more circles in this farm.

Wulf Palinski :

Further research is warranted to understand the exact mechanisms, but high cholesterol in mothers may impact the development of organ systems in the fetus or leave a lasting imprint on the regulation of genes that help maintain cholesterol levels in the adult offspring.

Sara Imarisio :

This study does n’t show that hormone therapy causes Alzheimer’s. The researchers did n’t look at whether the participants went on to develop symptoms of dementia and we ca n’t be sure of cause and effect in this kind of research, hormone therapy provides important benefits to many women, helping to combat the symptoms that menopause can bring.

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Definition of research – Learner’s Dictionary

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• There is the potential for some really interesting research.
• She has done research into how children acquire language .
• The appeal raised over £2 million for AIDS research.
• This report echoes some of the earlier research I've read .
• The government has committed thousands of pounds to the research.

(Definition of research from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of research

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Word of the Day

your bread and butter

a job or activity that provides you with the money you need to live

Shoots, blooms and blossom: talking about plants

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Synonyms for research

• investigation
• examination
• exploration
• experimentation
• fact-finding
• investigate
• make inquiries
• consult the archives

a seeking of knowledge, data, or the truth about something

• inquisition

systematic investigation to establish facts

Related words.

• investigating
• operations research
• market research
• marketing research
• research project
• scientific research

a search for knowledge

• problem solving
• nature study
• empirical research
• opinion poll
• public opinion poll

attempt to find out in a systematically and scientific manner

Inquire into.

• cast around
• res adjudicata
• res ipsa loquitur
• res judicata
• res publica
• rescindable
• rescue equipment
• rescue operation
• rescue party
• research center
• research colloquium
• research director
• research facility
• research lab
• research laboratory
• research rocket
• research staff
• research worker
• Reseda luteola
• Reseda odorata
• resemblance
• re-sentencing
• Rescuscitator
• resealing pressure
• resealing trap
• Research & Acquisition Communications Division
• Research & Analysis Wing
• Research & development
• Research & Development 1
• Research & Development 2
• Research & Development Cost
• Research & Development Costs
• Research & Development Electronic Security
• Research & Development Engineering
• Research & Development Objectives
• Research & Development Obligation Phasing Plan
• Research & Development Planning Summary
• Research & Educational Planning Center
• Research & Engineering
• Research & Innovation
• Research & Planning
• Research & Reconnaissance
• Research & Technology
• Research & Technology Laboratories
• Research & Technology Organization
• Research & Technology Work Unit Information System
• Research Abroad Program
• Research Academic Computer Technology Institute
• Research Academies for Young Scientists
• Research Access Incorporated
• Research Across America
• Research across the Curriculum
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100+ Research Vocabulary Words & Phrases

The academic community can be conservative when it comes to enforcing academic writing style , but your writing shouldn’t be so boring that people lose interest midway through the first paragraph! Given that competition is at an all-time high for academics looking to publish their papers, we know you must be anxious about what you can do to improve your publishing odds.

To be sure, your research must be sound, your paper must be structured logically, and the different manuscript sections must contain the appropriate information. But your research must also be clearly explained. Clarity obviously depends on the correct use of English, and there are many common mistakes that you should watch out for, for example when it comes to articles , prepositions , word choice , and even punctuation . But even if you are on top of your grammar and sentence structure, you can still make your writing more compelling (or more boring) by using powerful verbs and phrases (vs the same weaker ones over and over). So, how do you go about achieving the latter?

Below are a few ways to breathe life into your writing.

1. Analyze Vocabulary Using Word Clouds

Have you heard of “Wordles”? A Wordle is a visual representation of words, with the size of each word being proportional to the number of times it appears in the text it is based on. The original company website seems to have gone out of business, but there are a number of free word cloud generation sites that allow you to copy and paste your draft manuscript into a text box to quickly discover how repetitive your writing is and which verbs you might want to replace to improve your manuscript.

Seeing a visual word cloud of your work might also help you assess the key themes and points readers will glean from your paper. If the Wordle result displays words you hadn’t intended to emphasize, then that’s a sign you should revise your paper to make sure readers will focus on the right information.

As an example, below is a Wordle of our article entitled, “ How to Choose the Best title for Your Journal Manuscript .” You can see how frequently certain terms appear in that post, based on the font size of the text. The keywords, “titles,” “journal,” “research,” and “papers,” were all the intended focus of our blog post.

2. Study Language Patterns of Similarly Published Works

Study the language pattern found in the most downloaded and cited articles published by your target journal. Understanding the journal’s editorial preferences will help you write in a style that appeals to the publication’s readership.

Another way to analyze the language of a target journal’s papers is to use Wordle (see above). If you copy and paste the text of an article related to your research topic into the applet, you can discover the common phrases and terms the paper’s authors used.

For example, if you were writing a paper on  links between smoking and cancer , you might look for a recent review on the topic, preferably published by your target journal. Copy and paste the text into Wordle and examine the key phrases to see if you’ve included similar wording in your own draft. The Wordle result might look like the following, based on the example linked above.

If you are not sure yet where to publish and just want some generally good examples of descriptive verbs, analytical verbs, and reporting verbs that are commonly used in academic writing, then have a look at this list of useful phrases for research papers .

3. Use More Active and Precise Verbs

Have you heard of synonyms? Of course you have. But have you looked beyond single-word replacements and rephrased entire clauses with stronger, more vivid ones? You’ll find this task is easier to do if you use the active voice more often than the passive voice . Even if you keep your original sentence structure, you can eliminate weak verbs like “be” from your draft and choose more vivid and precise action verbs. As always, however, be careful about using only a thesaurus to identify synonyms. Make sure the substitutes fit the context in which you need a more interesting or “perfect” word. Online dictionaries such as the Merriam-Webster and the Cambridge Dictionary are good sources to check entire phrases in context in case you are unsure whether a synonym is a good match for a word you want to replace. 

To help you build a strong arsenal of commonly used phrases in academic papers, we’ve compiled a list of synonyms you might want to consider when drafting or editing your research paper . While we do not suggest that the phrases in the “Original Word/Phrase” column should be completely avoided, we do recommend interspersing these with the more dynamic terms found under “Recommended Substitutes.”

A. Describing the scope of a current project or prior research

B. outlining a topic’s background, c. describing the analytical elements of a paper, d. discussing results, e. discussing methods, f. explaining the impact of new research, wordvice writing resources.

For additional information on how to tighten your sentences (e.g., eliminate wordiness and use active voice to greater effect), you can try Wordvice’s FREE APA Citation Generator and learn more about how to proofread and edit your paper to ensure your work is free of errors.

Before submitting your manuscript to academic journals, be sure to use our free AI proofreader to catch errors in grammar, spelling, and mechanics. And use our English editing services from Wordvice, including academic editing services , cover letter editing , manuscript editing , and research paper editing services to make sure your work is up to a high academic level.

We also have a collection of other useful articles for you, for example on how to strengthen your writing style , how to avoid fillers to write more powerful sentences , and how to eliminate prepositions and avoid nominalizations . Additionally, get advice on all the other important aspects of writing a research paper on our academic resources pages .

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research noun 1

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What does the noun research mean?

There are seven meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun research , three of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the noun research ?

How is the noun research pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun research come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun research is in the late 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for research is from 1577, in ‘F. de L'Isle’'s Legendarie .

research is apparently formed within English, by derivation; modelled on a French lexical item.

Etymons: re- prefix , search n.

Nearby entries

• rescuing, adj. 1574–
• resculpt, v. 1926–
• resculpting, n. 1940–
• rescussee, n. 1652–1823
• rescusser, n. 1632–1704
• rese, n. Old English–1600
• rese, v.¹ Old English–1450
• rese, v.² Old English–1582
• reseal, v. 1624–
• resealable, adj. 1926–
• research, n.¹ 1577–
• re-search, n.² 1605–
• research, v.¹ 1588–
• re-search, v.² 1708–
• researchable, adj. 1927–
• research and development, n. 1892–
• researched, adj. 1636–
• researcher, n. 1615–
• researchful, adj. a1834–
• research hospital, n. 1900–
• researching, n. 1611–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for research, n.¹.

research, n.¹ was revised in March 2010.

research, n.¹ was last modified in September 2023.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into research, n.¹ in September 2023.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1906)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

• View research, n.¹ in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

Factsheet for research, n.¹, browse entry.

Definition of 'research'

Video: pronunciation of research

research in British English

Research in american english, examples of 'research' in a sentence research, cobuild collocations research, trends of research.

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• resealable bag
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• do research
• aid research
• cite research
• fund research
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