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exploratory
adjective
ex·plor·ato·ry
ik-ˈsplȯr-ə-ˌtȯr-ē
: of, relating to, or being exploration
exploratory surgery
exploratory drilling for oil
Examples of exploratory in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
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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
Phrases Containing exploratory
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
ex·plor·ato·ry
ik-ˈsplōr-ə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˈsplȯr-, -ˌtȯr-
: of, relating to, or being exploration
exploratory surgery
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