investigate

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ɪn'ves.tɪ.geɪt/
• SAMPA: /In"vEs.tI.gEIt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form investigate

Third-person singular investigates

Past tense investigated

Past participle investigated

Present participle investigating

1. (transitive & intransitive) If you investigate a problem, you get information about it and you think carefully about the information, usually to find an answer.
   • Synonyms: study, research, consider, examine and explore

   We won't know what happened until it is more thoroughly investigated.

   Police investigated 169 complaints about noise between December and January.

   Researchers continue to investigate new ways of finding lies.

   Your child's family doctor should investigate whether there may be a sleep problem.

   More work is needed to investigate other possibilities.

Related words

• investigation
• investigative
• investigator