search
surch
Search (verb) means to look carefully in order to find someone or something. Example: “We searched the whole garden for the cat, but she was hiding under the shed.”
verb
1
To look carefully in order to find someone or something.
"We searched the whole garden for the cat, but she was hiding under the shed."
"Police searched the building for the missing documents."
"She searched her bag for the car keys."
noun
1
An act of searching for something.
"After a long search, I finally found my glasses behind the sofa."
"A quick search of the kitchen turned up nothing but old receipts."
"The search for survivors continued through the night."
How to use search
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo look thoroughly for something, or the act of looking — also commonly used for looking something up online.
Common pairings
search for
search engine
search party
in search of
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like search.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- searches
- Third person singular
- searches
- Past tense
- searched
- Archaic forms
- searchest, searchedst, searcheth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We _____ the whole garden for the cat, but she was hiding under the shed.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman sercher, from Late Latin circare ("to go around, search for"), from circus ("circle").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for search
See all rhymes for search →Frequently asked questions
What does “search” mean?
The word “search” means to look carefully in order to find someone or something. In plain terms, to look thoroughly for something, or the act of looking — also commonly used for looking something up online.
How do you pronounce “search”?
“Search” is pronounced surch (/sɝt͡ʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “search” in a sentence?
Here is “search” used in a sentence: “Police searched the building for the missing documents.”
What is another word for “search”?
Words with a similar meaning to “search” include scour, seek and comb.
What part of speech is “search”?
Depending on how it is used, “search” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “search” come from?
The word “search” comes from Late Latin. From Anglo-Norman sercher, from Late Latin circare ("to go around, search for"), from circus ("circle").
Is “search” a common word?
“Search” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “search” have?
“Search” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to look carefully in order to find someone or something.
What is the difference between search and find?
Search is the effort of looking; find is the result of succeeding. You search for your keys — that is the activity — and you find them when they turn up. You can search for hours without finding anything, which shows the two words describe different stages of the same task.
What is the difference between search and seek?
They mean much the same, but seek is more formal and often abstract — seek advice, seek the truth. Search is more concrete and physical, suggesting looking through a place or thing — search the house, search your bag. In everyday speech, search is far more common.
What is an example of search used in a sentence?
Police searched the building for evidence shows careful looking through a place. She searched her memory for his name applies it to thought. Online, search the web means looking through vast information. In each case, search implies deliberate, careful effort aimed at finding something specific.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include search:
