research verb form

Conjugation verb research

Model : wish

Auxiliary : have , be

Other forms: research oneself / not research

Contractions

• you research
• he/she/it researches
• we research
• they research
• I researched
• you researched
• he/she/it researched
• we researched
• they researched

Present continuous

• I am researching
• you are researching
• he/she/it is researching
• we are researching
• they are researching

Present perfect

• I have researched
• you have researched
• he/she/it has researched
• we have researched
• they have researched
• I will research
• you will research
• he/she/it will research
• we will research
• they will research

Future perfect

• I will have researched
• you will have researched
• he/she/it will have researched
• we will have researched
• they will have researched

Past continous

• I was researching
• you were researching
• he/she/it was researching
• we were researching
• they were researching

Past perfect

• I had researched
• you had researched
• he/she/it had researched
• we had researched
• they had researched

Future continuous

• I will be researching
• you will be researching
• he/she/it will be researching
• we will be researching
• they will be researching

Present perfect continuous

• I have been researching
• you have been researching
• he/she/it has been researching
• we have been researching
• they have been researching

Past perfect continuous

• I had been researching
• you had been researching
• he/she/it had been researching
• we had been researching
• they had been researching

Future perfect continuous

• I will have been researching
• you will have been researching
• he/she/it will have been researching
• we will have been researching
• they will have been researching
• let's research
• researching
• to research

Perfect participle

• having researched

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The Significance of Research Verbs: Elevating Academic Writing

Want to master the art of writing? Start with research verbs! Learn how to make your writing more informative & interesting with our guide.

Despite their unassuming looks, research verbs carry substantial weight in academic writing. The building blocks of argument development, method explanation, and evidence presentation are research verbs. Researchers can communicate their findings clearly and demonstrate the rigor and trustworthiness of their research by choosing the appropriate research verbs. Furthermore, by clarifying the author’s thought process and assisting in comprehension, these verbs can aid readers in navigating the complexity of academic literature. 

Although they are of remarkable significance, research verbs are frequently misused, despite the fact that they are extremely important in determining the impact and clarity of academic writing. This article by Mind the Graph explores the essential significance of using the right research verbs to improve the quality and effectiveness of academic discourse.

What are Research Verbs?

Research verbs are a specific and essential category of words utilized in academic writing to convey the actions, procedures, and findings of research. They play a significant role in enhancing the clarity, precision, and effectiveness of researchers’ writing, enabling them to express their intentions with greater impact.

Within academic writing, research verbs cover a broad spectrum of actions and concepts associated with research. They encompass verbs used to describe research methods (e.g., investigate, analyze, experiment), present research findings (e.g., demonstrate, reveal, illustrate), and discuss implications and conclusions (e.g., suggest, propose, validate).

The careful selection of research verbs holds utmost importance as it directly influences the overall tone, rigor, and credibility of academic writing. By choosing the most fitting research verbs, researchers can ensure their writing is precise, clear, and accurate, allowing them to effectively communicate their research to their intended audience.

In addition to research verbs, selecting the right words throughout the academic writing process is crucial. It contributes to the attainment of the aforementioned goals of precision, clarity, and accuracy. To gain deeper insights into the importance of word choice in academic writing, read the article titled “ The Importance of Word Choice with Examples. ” This article offers valuable perspectives and practical examples that can further enhance your understanding of the significance of word choice in academic writing.

Types of Research Verbs

There are various types of research verbs that are commonly used in academic writing. These verbs can be categorized based on their specific functions and the stages of the research process they represent. 

Verbs for Analyzing Data

To examine, understand, and gain significant insights from research findings, particular verbs are used when analyzing data. These verbs aid in the exploration of connections, the discovery of patterns, and the drawing of conclusions based on the available facts:

• Analyze: Systematically examine data to find patterns or connections.
• Interpret: Describe the relevance of the data or outcomes and their meaning.
• Compare: Show how several data sets or variables differ from one another.
• Correlate: Examine the connection or relationship between variables.
• Calculate: Perform calculations on data using math or statistics.

Verbs for Defining Processes 

Defining research processes entails providing specifics on the steps, procedures, and methods used throughout the study. Verbs in this category facilitate a clear and accurate explanation of how the research was conducted:

• Outline: Provide a general overview or structure of a research process.
• Detail: Elaborate on the specific steps or procedures undertaken in the research.
• Explain: Clarify the rationale or logic behind a particular research process.
• Define: Clearly state and describe key concepts, variables, or terms.
• Illustrate: Use examples or visuals to demonstrate a research process.

Verbs for Summarizing Results 

After the research has been concluded, researchers provide a succinct summary of their results. These verbs help researchers highlight key findings, give an overview of the findings, and draw conclusions from the data:

• Summarize: Provide a concise overview or brief account of research findings.
• Highlight: Draw attention to the key or significant results.
• Demonstrate: Present evidence or data that supports a particular finding.
• Conclude: Formulate a generalization or inference based on the results.
• Validate: Confirm or corroborate the findings through additional evidence or analysis.

Verbs for Describing Literature Review

During the literature review phase, researchers examine existing scholarly works and relevant studies. Verbs in this category help researchers express their evaluation, synthesis, and analysis of the literature. Such verbs include, for instance:

• Critique: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of existing literature on a topic.
• Summarize: Provide a brief overview of the key findings and conclusions of existing literature on a topic.
• Compare: Identify similarities and differences between the findings and conclusions of multiple studies on a topic.
• Synthesize: Combine the findings and conclusions of multiple studies on a topic to identify broader trends or themes.
• Evaluate: Assess the quality and validity of existing literature on a topic.

Verbs for Speculating and Hypothesizing

Exploring possible connections or explaining occurrences requires speculation and the formulation of hypotheses. These verbs allow researchers to present their speculations, assumptions, or proposed hypothesis:

• Propose: Put forward an idea or hypothesis for further study or investigation.
• Speculate: Offer a possible explanation or theory for a phenomenon or observation.
• Predict: Use existing data or theories to make a forecast about future events or outcomes.
• Hypothesize: Formulate a testable explanation or hypothesis for a phenomenon or observation.
• Suggest: Offer a potential explanation or interpretation for a result or finding.

Verbs for Discussing Limitations and Future Directions

Acknowledging the limitations of the research and suggesting future directions is important for demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the field. Verbs in this category help researchers address the constraints of their study and provide insights for future research:

• Limit: Identify the limitations or weaknesses of a study or analysis.
• Propose: Suggest potential solutions or avenues for further research to address limitations or weaknesses.
• Discuss: Analyze and reflect on the implications of limitations or weaknesses for the broader field or research area.
• Address: Develop a plan or strategy for addressing limitations or weaknesses in future research.
• Acknowledge: Recognize and address potential biases or limitations in a study or analysis.

Tips for Using Research Verbs

These tips will help you make the most of research verbs, ensuring that your language is active, precise, and consistent. By incorporating these strategies, you can elevate the quality of your writing and effectively communicate your research findings to your readers.

Using Active Language

• Use active voice: Active voice makes your writing more dynamic and engaging. It also clearly identifies the doer of the action. For example, instead of saying “The data were analyzed,” say “We analyzed the data.”
• Highlight the subject: Ensure that the subject of the sentence is the main focus and performs the action. This brings clarity and emphasizes responsibility.

Choosing Precise Verbs

• Be specific: Select verbs that precisely convey the action you want to describe. Avoid generic verbs like “do” or “make.” Instead, use verbs that accurately depict the research process or findings. For example, use “investigate,” “analyze,” or “demonstrate.”
• Utilize a thesaurus: Expand your vocabulary and find alternative verbs that convey the exact meaning you intend. A thesaurus can help you discover more precise and varied verbs.

Maintaining Consistency

• Stay consistent in verb tense: Choose a verb tense and maintain it consistently throughout your writing. This ensures coherence and clarity.
• Establish a style guide: Follow a specific style guide, such as APA or MLA, to maintain consistency in the use of research verbs and other writing conventions.

Resources to Help You Use Research Verbs

Take into consideration the following resources to improve your use of research verbs:

• Writing Manuals and Guides: For reliable information on research verbs and academic writing, consult guides such as  “The Craft of Research” or “The Elements of Style.”
• Academic Writing Workshops: Attend webinars or workshops on academic writing that address subjects like research verbs and enhancing scholarly writing.
• Online Writing Communities: Participate in online writing communities where researchers exchange materials and discuss writing techniques. 
• Language and Writing Apps: Use grammar checker tools like Grammarly or ProWritingAid for grammar and style suggestions.

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Verb Table for research

• Simple tenses
• Continuous tenses

Conditional

Simple tenses  •  continuous tenses  •  conditional  •  imperative  •  impersonal.

Present Perfect

Past Perfect

Will -Future

Going to -Future

Future Perfect

Conditional Past

Past Participle

Browse the conjugations (verb tables)

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Verb "research"

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Conjugation

Simple tense.

Present Simple

• you research
• he, she researches
• we research
• they research

Past Simple

• I researched
• you researched
• he, she researched
• we researched
• they researched

Future Simple

• I will research
• you will research
• he, she will research
• we will research
• they will research

Continuous Tense

Present Simple Continuous

• I am researching
• you are researching
• he, she is researching
• we are researching
• they are researching

Past Simple Continuous

• I was researching
• you were researching
• he, she was researching
• we were researching
• they were researching

Future Simple Continuous

• I will be researching
• you will be researching
• he, she will be researching
• we will be researching
• they will be researching

Perfect Tense

Present Perfect

• I have researched
• you have researched
• he, she has researched
• we have researched
• they have researched

Past Perfect

• I had researched
• you had researched
• he, she had researched
• we had researched
• they had researched

Future Perfect

• I will have researched
• you will have researched
• he, she will have researched
• we will have researched
• they will have researched

Perfect Continuous Tense

Present Perfect Continuous

• I have been researching
• you have been researching
• he, she has been researching
• we have been researching
• they have been researching

Past Perfect Continuous

• I had been researching
• you had been researching
• he, she had been researching
• we had been researching
• they had been researching

Future Perfect Continuous

• I will have been researching
• you will have been researching
• he, she will have been researching
• we will have been researching
• they will have been researching

Conditional

• I would research
• you would research
• he, she would research
• we would research
• they would research
• I would have researched
• you would have researched
• he, she would have researched
• we would have researched
• they would have researched

Present Continuous

• I would be researching
• you would be researching
• he, she would be researching
• we would be researching
• they would be researching

Perfect Continuous

• I would have been researching
• you would have been researching
• he, she would have been researching
• we would have been researching
• they would have been researching
• we Let's research

Other verbs

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• 1.1 Etymology
• 1.2 Pronunciation
• 1.3.1 Synonyms
• 1.3.2 Hyponyms
• 1.3.3 Derived terms
• 1.3.4 Related terms
• 1.3.5 Translations
• 1.4.1 Translations
• 1.5 References
• 1.6 Anagrams
• 2.1 Etymology
• 2.2 Pronunciation
• 2.3.1 Usage notes
• 2.3.2 Synonyms
• 3.1 Etymology
• 3.2.1 Declension
• 3.2.2 Related terms
• 3.3 See also
• 3.4 References

Early Modern French rechercher ( “ to examine closely ” ) , from Old French recerchier ( “ to seek, to look for ” ) , by surface analysis , re- +‎ search .

Pronunciation

• ( Received Pronunciation ) IPA ( key ) : ( traditional ) /ɹɪˈsɜːt͡ʃ/ , ( newer ) /ˈɹiː.sɜːt͡ʃ/

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)tʃ

research ( countable and uncountable , plural researches )

• 2012 January, Philip E. Mirowski, “Harms to Health from the Pursuit of Profits”, in American Scientist ‎ [1] , volume 100 , number 1, archived from the original on 4 April 2012 , page 87 : In an era when political leaders promise deliverance from decline through America’s purported preeminence in scientific research , the news that science is in deep trouble in the United States has been as unwelcome as a diagnosis of leukemia following the loss of health insurance.
• 1849–1861 , Thomas Babington Macaulay , chapter 1, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second , volumes (please specify |volume=I to V) , London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans , →OCLC : The dearest interests of parties have frequently been staked on the results of the researches of antiquaries.
• 1747 , The Scots magazine , volume 9, page 567 : The first step I took in this so necessary a research , was to examine the motives, the justice, the necessity and expediency of the revolution [ … ]
• 1883 December, “Zoology. A. General, including Embryology and Histology of the Vertebrata. Development of Muscle-fibres and their Union with Nerves”, in Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society , volume 3, number 6, page 821 : Although very numerous researches have been made on the differentiation of striped muscles, and on the termination of their motor nerve-fibres, yet the multifarious observations have often been too incomplete to lead to any but conflicting and unsatisfactory theories.
• investigation
• exploration
• examination
• action research
• advocacy research
• basic research
• bioresearch
• empirical research
• historical research
• marketing research
• market research
• operational research
• operations research
• oppo research
• opposition research
• primary research
• qualitative research
• quantitative research
• scientific research
• secondary research
• space research
• structural research
• time-use research
• unobtrusive research

Derived terms

• antiresearch
• bioresearcher
• consumer research
• coresearcher
• customer research
• dual-use research of concern
• eco-research
• gain-of-function research
• nonresearch
• nonresearched
• nonresearcher
• nonresearching
• overresearched
• proresearch
• researchability
• researchable
• research assistant
• research chemical
• researchful
• researchist
• research professor
• research ship
• underresearched
• unresearchability
• unresearchable
• unresearched

Related terms

• research octane number
• research paper

Translations

research ( third-person singular simple present researches , present participle researching , simple past and past participle researched )

• ( transitive ) To search or examine with continued care; to seek diligently.
• ( intransitive ) To make an extensive investigation into.
• ( transitive ) To search again.

• “research”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language , 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin , 2000 , →ISBN .
• “ research ”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged , Dictionary.com, LLC , 1995–present.
• " research " in WordNet 2.0 , Princeton University, 2003.
• reachers , searcher

From English research , from early Modern French rechercher ( “ to examine closely ” ) , from Old French recerchier ( “ to seek, to look for ” ) . Forms a doublet with Dutch recherche , which is a direct borrowing from French.

research   f ( uncountable , diminutive researchje   n )

Usage notes

The plural is very rare or non-existent.

• onderzoek , speurwerk , vorsing , navorsing

Unadapted borrowing from English research . First attested in the 1960s. [ 1 ]

research   c ( uncountable )

• searching in archives for background information related to someone or something specific (often for newspapers, radio, or TV).

• researcha ( “ perform archival research ” )
• researcher ( “ archival researcher ” )
• efterforska ( “ investigate; research ” )
• forska ( “ research ” )
• ^ research in Svensk ordbok ( SO )
• research in Svenska Akademiens ordlista ( SAOL )

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• Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)tʃ/2 syllables
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Learn and Grow

Research or Researches: Which is Correct? Simple English Explanations

By Caitriona Maria

October 20, 2021

Research or researches ? Which one is correct?!

There seems to be a lot of misinformation about this on the web, as most people (including native English speakers) get this one wrong!

We can use “research” as a noun or verb . Researches can be the third person singular of the verb “research.” Researches can also be used as a plural noun for “research,” but it is rarely used.

Meaning of Research (Verb and Noun)

By definition, “ research” (verb form) means to investigate or search carefully. It is typically related to studious inquiries or examinations.

Here are some examples with the verb “research”:

• “He researched the history of the building.”
• “She is researching how many people speak a particular language.”
• “I need to research this.”
• “We have been researching a new method.”
• “They are researching different options for the company.”
• “I researched every single product before I made my purchase.”
• You should research the pros and cons before you make a decision .
• “He is researching his family tree.”
• She has been researching her options for college.

When used as a noun, the word “research” typically refers to the activity of investigating or examining a subject in-depth with the aim of discovering new facts or information.

It can also refer to the resulting product of this activity.

Here are some examples with the noun “research”:

• “The scientists conducted research on the properties of a new material.”
• “She published her first paper on the results of her research.”
• If you want to write a paper on the dangers of smoking, you will need to do some research on the topic.
• “The research was published in a leading journal.”
• “They are funding market research.”
• “This is a new area of research for me.”
• “I need to do some research on this subject.”
• “Can you please send me your latest research?”

Research or researches?

• Research (singular noun)
• Researches (plural noun)

In a nutshell, we use research as a singular noun and researches as a plural noun, but it is very rare to say the term researches.

It is preferred to say “pieces of research,” “research studies” or “research projects” when talking about more than one.

Researches can also be used as a verb for the third person singular in the simple present tense. For example, “he researches on the internet for his school project.”

Research (simple present tense):

• I research,
• you research,
• he researches,
• she researches,
• it researches,
• we research,
• they research.

Research as a Noun

Research can be a countable and uncountable noun.

As a noun, “research” is usually used as uncountable. For example, we could say, “the research is able to determine the demand for health drinks.”

The plural countable noun researches is rarely used. It is used to distinguish between one or more sets of research.

For example, we could say “research conducted at Trinity College and University College Dublin” (we don’t know if this is a joint research project or a separate research project in both colleges).

Or we could say “researches conducted at Trinity College and University College Dublin” (separate research projects carried out at the colleges).

Is it correct to say researches ?

As you can see from our examples, it is correct to say researches.

You must be warned, however, that while we can use researches as a plural countable noun, most English speakers have never heard this and may think this is incorrect.

Native English speakers prefer to say “some research,” “research studies,” or “research projects” rather than researches nowadays.

Researches as a term is seen as archaic and old-fashioned. Therefore, it is rarely, if ever used.

Can we say a research ?

While “research” can be used as a countable and uncountable noun, it is never correct to say “a research.” However, we can say “a research student,” “much research,” or “some research.”

To make research or to do research?

We never say “make research.” Instead, you can say, “do research,” “conduct research,” “perform research,” or “carry out research.”

When do we say researches?

When using “research” as the verb, we often say researches.

It is much more common to use researches in the third person simple present (he/she/it).

For example, we could say, “he researches for his project in the library.”

Researches can also be used as a noun, as mentioned earlier.

Alternative Ways to Say Researches (noun)

• His researches prove that the disease is a genetic disorder.
• His research proves that the disease is a genetic disorder.
• His research studies prove that the disease is a genetic disorder.
• His research projects prove that the disease is a genetic disorder.
• His pieces of research prove that the disease is a genetic disorder.
• His findings prove that the disease is a genetic disorder.
• His research results prove that the disease is a genetic disorder.

How do you pronounce research ?

“Research” (verb form) is pronounced as ri-SERCH in American English but may vary across different accents.

“Research” (noun form) is pronounced as REE-serch in American English but may vary across different accents.

Therefore, you may choose to pronounce both the verb and the noun in the same way (REE-serch or ri-SERCH) without causing any confusion.

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In Conclusion

Those are the rules for the word research and researches. While researches is a correct word, it is seldom used as a plural noun.

“Research” is mostly used as an uncountable noun or verb.

If you are unsure whether to use research or researches , it is best to use “research” as the noun. This will avoid any confusion and misunderstanding.

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Thanks for the extensive researches done by you, as we use this term research in our researches extensively!

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Pronunciation

• ( UK ) IPA ( key ) : /rɪˈsɜːtʃ/  or /ˈriː.sɜːtʃ/
• ( US ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈri.sɚtʃ/  or /riˈsɝtʃ/

• ( uncountable ) Research is the process or result of trying to find an answer by reading, interviewing, watching, or doing experiments . The last 10 years has provided a huge amount of research into a cure for cancer. We've been conducting research into the reason for the changes in these fish.

• ( transitive & intransitive ) If you research a question, you try to find an answer, usually by reading a lot about it, or by doing experiments . I have to research the history of King Henry II for my English class.

Related words

• BNC1 headwords
• Uncountable nouns
• Regular verbs
• Transitive verbs
• Intransitive verbs

How to Use research in a Sentence

• The study is an important piece of research .
• He did a lot of research before buying his car.
• Recent research shows that the disease is caused in part by bad nutrition.
• She conducts research into the causes of Alzheimer's disease.
• The reporter made hundreds of telephone calls while researching the story.
• Before going out to eat, she researched area restaurants.
• He spent the summer researching his dissertation.

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'research.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Meaning of research in English

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• He has dedicated his life to scientific research.
• He emphasized that all the people taking part in the research were volunteers .
• The state of Michigan has endowed three institutes to do research for industry .
• I'd like to see the research that these recommendations are founded on.
• It took months of painstaking research to write the book .
• absorptive capacity
• dream something up
• ergonomically
• modularization
• nanotechnology
• testing ground
• the mother of something idiom
• think outside the box idiom
• think something up
• study What do you plan on studying in college?
• major US She majored in philosophy at Harvard.
• cram She's cramming for her history exam.
• revise UK I'm revising for tomorrow's test.
• review US We're going to review for the test tomorrow night.
• research Scientists are researching possible new treatments for cancer.
• The amount of time and money being spent on researching this disease is pitiful .
• We are researching the reproduction of elephants .
• She researched a wide variety of jobs before deciding on law .
• He researches heart disease .
• The internet has reduced the amount of time it takes to research these subjects .
• adjudication
• analytically
• have the measure of someone/something idiom
• interpretable
• interpretive
• reinspection
• reinterpret
• reinterpretation
• reinvestigate
• reinvestigation

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Related word

Research | intermediate english, research | business english, examples of research, collocations with research.

These are words often used in combination with research .

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Translations of research

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Word of the Day

detective work

the activity of searching for information about something, often over a long period

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research noun 1

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What does the noun research mean?

There are seven meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun research , three of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the noun research ?

How is the noun research pronounced?

British english, u.s. english, where does the noun research come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun research is in the late 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for research is from 1577, in ‘F. de L'Isle’'s Legendarie .

research is apparently formed within English, by derivation; modelled on a French lexical item.

Etymons: re- prefix , search n.

Nearby entries

• rescuing, adj. 1574–
• resculpt, v. 1926–
• resculpting, n. 1940–
• rescussee, n. 1652–1823
• rescusser, n. 1632–1704
• rese, n. Old English–1600
• rese, v.¹ Old English–1450
• rese, v.² Old English–1582
• reseal, v. 1624–
• resealable, adj. 1926–
• research, n.¹ 1577–
• re-search, n.² 1605–
• research, v.¹ 1588–
• re-search, v.² 1708–
• researchable, adj. 1927–
• research and development, n. 1892–
• researched, adj. 1636–
• researcher, n. 1615–
• researchful, adj. a1834–
• research hospital, n. 1900–
• researching, n. 1611–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for research, n.¹.

research, n.¹ was revised in March 2010.

research, n.¹ was last modified in September 2024.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into research, n.¹ in September 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1906)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View research, n.¹ in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

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[ ri- surch , ree -surch ]

recent research in medicine.

Synonyms: study , scrutiny

• a particular instance or piece of research.

verb (used without object)

• to make researches; investigate carefully.

verb (used with object)

to research a matter thoroughly.

Synonyms: scrutinize , examine , inquire , study

/ ˈriːsɜːtʃ; rɪˈsɜːtʃ /

• systematic investigation to establish facts or principles or to collect information on a subject
• to carry out investigations into (a subject, problem, etc)

Derived Forms

• reˈsearcher , noun
• reˈsearchable , adjective

Other Words From

• re·searcha·ble adjective
• re·searcher re·searchist noun
• prore·search adjective
• under·re·search verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of research 1

Synonym Study

Example sentences.

The duo spent the first year in research and engaging with farmers.

Dan Finn-Foley, head of energy storage at energy research firm Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables, compared Google’s plan to ordering eggs for breakfast.

Users will give Deep Longevity the right to conduct anonymized research using their data as part of the app’s terms and conditions, Zhavoronkov said.

There’s also the Wilhelm Reich Museum, located at “Orgonon” in Rangeley, Maine, which was previously Reich’s estate—where he conducted questionable orgone research in the later years of his career.

When we started doing research on these topics, we were too focused on political institutions.

Have you tried to access the research that your tax dollars finance, almost all of which is kept behind a paywall?

Have a look at this telling research from Pew on blasphemy and apostasy laws around the world.

And Epstein continues to steer money toward universities to advance scientific research.

The research literature, too, asks these questions, and not without reason.

We also have a growing body of biological research showing that fathers, like mothers, are hard-wired to care for children.

We find by research that smoking was the most general mode of using tobacco in England when first introduced.

This class is composed frequently of persons of considerable learning, research and intelligence.

Speaking from recollection, it appears to be a work of some research; but I cannot say how far it is to be relied on.

Thomas Pope Blount died; an eminent English writer and a man of great learning and research.

That was long before invention became a research department full of engineers.

Related Words

• exploration
• investigation

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• research (noun)
• research (verb)
• research and development (noun)
• research park (noun)
• market research (noun)
• cancer/AIDS/drug research
• medical/scientific/scholarly research
• She conducts research into/on the causes of Alzheimer's disease.
• Recent research shows/indicates that the disease is caused in part by bad nutrition.
• The study is an important piece of research .
• research data/findings
• a research group/organization/scientist
• a research assistant
• a research program/project
• a research lab/laboratory/library/center
• a research paper/report
• ( formal + old-fashioned ) We read about Sigmund Freud's researches into the human psyche.
• He did a lot of research before buying his car.

— researcher

• Medical researchers say that the drug is useless.
• She is researching [= investigating ] the relationship between stress and heart disease.
• He spent the summer researching his dissertation.
• Before going out to eat, she researched area restaurants.
• The reporter made hundreds of telephone calls while researching the story.

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Definition of research noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

• formulate/advance a theory/hypothesis
• build/construct/create/develop a simple/theoretical/mathematical model
• develop/establish/provide/use a theoretical/conceptual framework/an algorithm
• advance/argue/develop the thesis that…
• explore an idea/a concept/a hypothesis
• make a prediction/an inference
• base a prediction/your calculations on something
• investigate/evaluate/accept/challenge/reject a theory/hypothesis/model
• design an experiment/a questionnaire/a study/a test
• do research/an experiment/an analysis
• make observations/calculations
• take/record measurements
• carry out/conduct/perform an experiment/a test/a longitudinal study/observations/clinical trials
• run an experiment/a simulation/clinical trials
• repeat an experiment/a test/an analysis
• replicate a study/the results/the findings
• observe/study/examine/investigate/assess a pattern/a process/a behavior
• fund/support the research/project/study
• seek/provide/get/secure funding for research
• collect/gather/extract data/information
• yield data/evidence/similar findings/the same results
• analyze/examine the data/soil samples/a specimen
• consider/compare/interpret the results/findings
• fit the data/model
• confirm/support/verify a prediction/a hypothesis/the results/the findings
• prove a conjecture/hypothesis/theorem
• draw/make/reach the same conclusions
• read/review the records/literature
• describe/report an experiment/a study
• present/publish/summarize the results/findings
• present/publish/read/review/cite a paper in a scientific journal

Take your English to the next level

The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

• noun a search for knowledge “their pottery deserves more research than it has received” synonyms: enquiry , inquiry see more see less types: show 11 types... hide 11 types... nature study the study of animals and plants in the natural world (usually at an elementary level) experiment , experimentation the testing of an idea empirical research an empirical search for knowledge investigation , probe an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities canvass , opinion poll , poll , public opinion poll , survey an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people heraldry the study and classification of armorial bearings and the tracing of genealogies pilot experiment a preliminary experiment whose outcome can lead to a more extensive experiment test , trial , trial run , tryout trying something to find out about it fishing expedition an investigation undertaken in the hope (but not the stated purpose) of discovering information exit poll a poll of voters as they leave the voting place; usually taken by news media in order to predict the outcome of an election straw poll , straw vote an unofficial vote taken to determine opinion on some issue type of: problem solving the thought processes involved in solving a problem
• noun systematic investigation to establish facts see more see less types: show 15 types... hide 15 types... operations research research designed to determine most efficient way to do something field work an investigation carried out in the field rather than in a laboratory or headquarters market research , marketing research research that gathers and analyzes information about the moving of good or services from producer to consumer microscopy research with the use of microscopes probe an investigation conducted using a flexible surgical instrument to explore an injury or a body cavity research project , scientific research research into questions posed by scientific theories and hypotheses big science scientific research that requires massive capital investment but is expected to yield very significant results biological research scientific research conducted by biologists experiment , experimentation the act of conducting a controlled test or investigation market analysis marketing research that yields information about the marketplace product research marketing research that yields information about desired characteristics of the product or service consumer research marketing research that yields information about the motives and needs of different classes of consumers electron microscopy microscopy with the use of electron microscopes dark field illumination , dark ground illumination a form of microscopic examination of living material by scattered light; specimens appear luminous against a dark background fluorescence microscopy light microscopy in which the specimen is irradiated at wavelengths that excite fluorochromes type of: investigating , investigation the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically
• verb inquire into “the students had to research the history of the Second World War for their history project” synonyms: delve , explore , search see more see less types: show 5 types... hide 5 types... prospect explore for useful or valuable things or substances, such as minerals google search the internet (for information) using the Google search engine mapquest search for a location and directions by means of the MapQuest program re-explore explore anew beat about , cast about , cast around search anxiously type of: investigate , look into investigate scientifically
• verb attempt to find out in a systematic and scientific manner “The student researched the history of that word” see more see less types: consult , look up , refer seek information from type of: investigate , look into investigate scientifically

Vocabulary lists containing research

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