as in searching
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something
the police scoured the city for the Typhoid Mary of this latest epidemic
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Recent Examples of scouring
After scouring the woods for another 10 minutes, the volunteers gave up.
—
Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 3 Oct. 2025
But is there an economic return on investment in scouring Earth's moon for that natural resource?
—Leonard David, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2025
Investigators spent much of Wednesday scouring the scene of the shooting for evidence, with a CNN team recording video of authorities searching a Toyota at an office building near the field office.
—Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Simply tear off a sheet of heavy-duty foil, wad it up to form a homemade scouring pad, and get to scrubbing.
—Darcy Lenz, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scouring
Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 3 Oct. 2025
But is there an economic return on investment in scouring Earth's moon for that natural resource?
—Leonard David, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2025
Investigators spent much of Wednesday scouring the scene of the shooting for evidence, with a CNN team recording video of authorities searching a Toyota at an office building near the field office.
—Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Simply tear off a sheet of heavy-duty foil, wad it up to form a homemade scouring pad, and get to scrubbing.
—Darcy Lenz, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scouring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scouring
Verb
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The Flames, meanwhile, are still searching for their first win at home after starting their season 1-6-0.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching).—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Carter’s research for a billionaire aesthetic included combing through design magazines and coffee-table books, noting blanched color palettes and editorial spreads that both reflect and shape real-world luxury.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
19 Oct. 2025
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Then TikTok got ahold of it (yes, some teams even have staffers combing through social media).—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scouring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scouring. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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