INVESTIGATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does investigate mean? 

• INVESTIGATE (verb)
  The verb INVESTIGATE has 2 senses:

1. investigate scientifically

2. conduct an inquiry or investigation of

  Familiarity information: INVESTIGATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INVESTIGATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they investigate    ... he / she / it investigates   
Past simple: investigated   
Past participle: investigated   
-ing form: investigating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Investigate scientifically

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

investigate; look into

Context example:

Let's investigate the syntax of Chinese

Hypernyms (to "investigate" is one way to...):

analyse; analyze; canvass; examine; study (consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "investigate"):

explore; research; search (inquire into)

explore (travel to or penetrate into)

examine; probe (question or examine thoroughly and closely)

research (attempt to find out in a systematically and scientific manner)

experiment (to conduct a test or investigation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

The customs agents investigate the bags for drugs

Derivation:

investigating; investigation (the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically)

investigator (a scientist who devotes himself to doing research)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Conduct an inquiry or investigation of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

enquire; inquire; investigate

Context example:

inquire into the disappearance of the rich old lady

Hypernyms (to "investigate" is one way to...):

examine; probe (question or examine thoroughly and closely)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "investigate"):

spy (secretly collect sensitive or classified information; engage in espionage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They investigate whether there was a traffic accident

Derivation:

investigating; investigation (the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically)

investigation (an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities)

investigative (designed to find information or ascertain facts)

investigator (a police officer who investigates crimes)

investigatory (designed to find information or ascertain facts)

 Context examples 

Researchers investigated the effects of high levels of carbon dioxide on marsh plants.

(High carbon dioxide can create 'shrinking stems' in marshes, National Science Foundation)

In a second study, they investigated how RNA, which is an unstable molecule, is transferred through the jelly diet.

(Discovery of RNA transfer through royal jelly could aid development of honey bee vaccines, University of Cambridge)

The team investigated a wide variety of possible mechanisms that may have caused the ejection events and narrowed the list to three candidates: meteoroid impacts, thermal stress fracturing and released water vapor.

(NASA's OSIRIS-REx Explains Bennu Mystery Particles, NASA)

Moreover, previous studies have investigated POPs as individual chemicals, but people typically are exposed to a mix of these compounds.

(Persistent organic pollutants in maternal blood linked to smaller fetal size, National Institutes of Health)

It is being investigated for use in targeting tumors for death by a suicide mechanism.

(Adenovirus Death Protein, NCI Thesaurus)

Another limitation of perovskite materials is their sensitivity to moisture, so the groups are also investigating ways to improve their stability.

(‘Messy’ production of perovskite material increases solar cell efficiency, University of Cambridge)

Rechargeable molten batteries (without air), such as a molten sulfur battery, have been previously investigated, but are limited by a low storage capacity.

(New, high-energy rechargeable batteries, NSF)

Investigate various travel packages, for good-fortune Jupiter is in the wings, ready to make your dearest travel dreams come true.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The oil-stove won her admiration, but on investigating the food shelves she found them empty.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

A group of pharmacokinetic parameters commonly investigated during preclinical drug development.

(ADME Study, NCI Thesaurus)