exploratory

adjective

ex·​plor·​ato·​ry ik-ˈsplȯr-ə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce exploratory (audio)
: of, relating to, or being exploration
exploratory surgery
exploratory drilling for oil

Examples of exploratory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Bore emphasizes how play is exploratory and simulated. Abigail Dubiniecki, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025 The indigenous technology, crucial for satellite servicing, space station operations, and interplanetary missions, positions India to play a significant role in the commercial and exploratory frontiers of space. Reuters, NBC News, 16 Jan. 2025 On an expedition to the Nazca and Salas y Gómez ridges, the exploratory dives revealed a host of rare finds, including two flying spaghetti monsters, a pristine coral reef, squat lobsters, and a Casper octopus – the first spotted in the South Pacific. Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024 In 2023, researchers with National Geographic Pristine Seas and the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority completed an exploratory expedition to the atolls to learn more about the creatures living up to 7,677 feet beneath the ocean’s surface. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for exploratory 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exploratory was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near exploratory

Cite this Entry

“Exploratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exploratory. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

exploratory

adjective
ex·​plor·​a·​to·​ry
ik-ˈsplōr-ə-ˌtōr-ē,
-ˌtȯr-
: of, relating to, or being exploration
exploratory drilling for oil
an exploratory trip
exploratory surgery

Medical Definition

exploratory

adjective
: of, relating to, or being exploration
exploratory surgery

More from Merriam-Webster on exploratory

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