Meaning & use
probing
Last updated
Searching or investigating something thoroughly and often persistently, especially to uncover hidden information.
See it in a sentence
The journalist asked probing questions that made the senator visibly uncomfortable.
Her probing gaze made him feel like she could read his thoughts.
A note on using this word
Most often paired with words like 'questions,' 'look,' or 'investigation' to suggest careful, deep inquiry rather than a casual glance.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. noun
A medical or technical examination performed with a probe to explore or test something.
The dentist used a probing instrument to check for cavities.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “probing”, then compare your use with the examples above.