verb
investigate
ihn-VEHS-tuh-gayt
verb
1
To look into something carefully in order to find out the facts.
"Detectives were sent to investigate the break-in."
"The committee will investigate the cause of the delay."
How to Use Investigate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo dig into the facts of a situation to figure out what really happened.
Common pairings
investigate a crime
investigate a complaint
investigate further
Word Forms
investigated past tense, investigates singular
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Detectives were sent to _____ the break-in.
Etymology
From Latin investigare, "to track or search into" (in- + vestigare, "to track," from vestigium, "footprint" — the same root as "vestige").