research

1 of 2

noun

1
: studious inquiry or examination
especially : investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws
2
: the collecting of information about a particular subject
3
: careful or diligent search

research

2 of 2

verb

researched; researching; researches

transitive verb

1
: to search or investigate exhaustively
research a problem
2
: to do research for
research a book

intransitive verb

: to engage in research
researchable
ri-ˈsər-chə-bəl How to pronounce research (audio)
ˈrē-ˌsər-
adjective
researcher noun

Examples of research in a Sentence

Noun She conducts research into the causes of Alzheimer's disease. Recent research shows that the disease is caused in part by bad nutrition. The study is an important piece of research. He did a lot of research before buying his car. Verb He spent the summer researching his dissertation. Before going out to eat, she researched area restaurants. The reporter made hundreds of telephone calls while researching the story.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This article was produced by KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. Molly Castle Work, NPR, 25 Mar. 2024 The Globe reported last year that the church paid for research which identified 219 people who were owned by ministers and members of the congregation. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2024 Local Jewish leaders said those findings and other research showing an alarming persistence of Holocaust denial and antisemitism on college campuses make USC’s award to survivors even more significant. Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024 And much of the broader research and dialogue around how children learn to read, often referred to as the science of reading, often leaves out the science of how African American English speakers learn to read, Holt said. Lily Altavena, Detroit Free Press, 25 Mar. 2024 The pharmaceutical industry has warned that second-guessing the FDA's determinations in this case will more broadly disrupt the nation's drug-approval process and stymie private investment in research. Ann E. Marimow and Caroline Kitchener The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 25 Mar. 2024 Spieler is an award-winning academic who has won several industry awards for his real-estate research. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2024 To keep up with the rapid rise in request volume, the matching team more than doubled in size during the first phase of my research, increasing from 30 to 68 people. IEEE Spectrum, 13 Mar. 2024 Matt Stoller, the director of research at the American Economic Liberties Project, a progressive think tank, made that case in January in his newsletter, arguing that the government has a history of nationalizing utilities, railroads and aerospace firms. Allison Morrow, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024
Verb
The most effective way to curtail the spread of unsupported conspiracy theories is to be wary of committing confirmation bias when researching an issue. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024 Temu also said people should research ingredients and consult reviews before buying products. Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Exactly one joke about researching spiders in the Amazon. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2024 There are three general reasons, says Karen Douglas, a professor of social psychology who researches conspiracy theories at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2024 Friday’s report reviewed claims of alien encounters dating back to the 1940s, researched classified and unclassified archives and conducted dozens of interviews. Dave Smith, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 In the 1970s and 1980s, Soviet design bureaus researched lasers that could be used to attack U.S. satellites. Aaron Bateman, Foreign Affairs, 7 Mar. 2024 Other duties include utilizing computing resources in researching and leveraging appropriate data management solutions. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Mar. 2024 To find the best plus-size lingerie, Jessie researched dozens of top brands and collections, carefully considering inclusive size ranges and supportive features across a variety of categories. Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'research.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French recerche, from recercher to go about seeking, from Old French recerchier, from re- + cerchier, sercher to search — more at search

First Known Use

Noun

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1588, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of research was in 1577

Dictionary Entries Near research

Cite this Entry

“Research.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

research

1 of 2 noun
1
: careful study and investigation for the purpose of discovering and explaining new knowledge
2
: the collecting of information about a subject

research

2 of 2 verb
1
: to search or investigate thoroughly
research her options
2
: to do research for
research a book
researcher noun

More from Merriam-Webster on research

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