WordGarden.ioinvestigate
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɪnvˈɛstɪɡˌeɪt/
US
- /ˌɪnˈvɛstəˌɡeɪt/
Meanings
Verb
to examine a matter carefully to discover facts or understand what happened
to make an official inquiry into possible wrongdoing or a legal matter
to study a question systematically through research or experiment
Beyond the definition
If your little brother denies eating the last cookie, you might investigate by looking for crumbs on his face or around his chair. To investigate means to try to find out the truth about something, often by gathering facts or evidence. Detectives investigate crimes, scientists investigate things they do not yet understand, and even curious kids investigate strange noises in the attic. It suggests a careful search for answers. You do not just think about something when you investigate; you actively try to learn what really happened. Think of Sherlock Holmes. He was famous for looking closely at clues.
To investigate means to carefully examine a situation, event, or problem in order to discover the truth. It is more than casual curiosity. It suggests a deliberate effort to gather information, study evidence, and reach a conclusion.
The word comes from the Latin vestigare, meaning "to track" or "follow footprints." This origin points to the heart of the word: following clues to uncover what happened.
You might investigate a crime scene by looking for fingerprints and interviewing witnesses. A journalist might investigate corruption in government by digging through documents and conducting interviews. Scientists investigate natural phenomena by running experiments and collecting data. Even everyday situations can call for investigation: "I need to investigate why the car won't start."
The context often decides how formal the investigation is. A police investigation is a formal process with legal importance, while investigating a leaky faucet can be much more casual. However, at its heart, investigate always implies a careful and methodical search for answers, a search for the truth hidden beneath the surface.
Examples
- 1
Crime context
Police are investigating the robbery.
- 2
Customer complaint
The manager promised to investigate the customer's complaint.
- 3
Technical problem
Engineers are investigating why the app keeps crashing.
- Patterninvestigate why/how/whether + clause
try to find the answer to that question
- 4
Scientific research
Scientists are investigating how plastic breaks down in seawater.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Journalism
The journalist spent months investigating corruption in the city government.
- 6
Fraud inquiry
The company is being investigated for fraud.
- Patterninvestigate someone/something for + offense
check whether they did something wrong
- 7
Fact finding
Before we blame anyone, let's investigate what actually happened.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- investigate a crime
- investigate allegations
- investigate the cause
- investigate whether
Word family
Explore
- evidence
- fact-finding
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- investigateverb
Forms
- investigatedpast tenseverb
- investigating-ing formverb
- investigatesverb